While considering a Public Interest Litigation relating to the issue of stray dogs, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has asked the Indore Municipal Corporation to identify the prominent public places, including tourist places of Indore city, such as Chhappan Dukan and Sarafa, etc. and conduct a drive for the removal of stray dogs on top priority. The High Court has also asked the Corporation to file an action report in this regard with datas of sterlization of stray dogs.

The Public Interest Litigation was filed before the High Court seeking a direction to remove the livestock, i.e. cattle, sheep, and goats, of all the owners or possessors from the city limits to protect the greenery. An issue of stray dogs was also raised in the petition.

The Division Bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi ordered,“In addition to that, the Municipal Corporation shall also identify the prominent public places including tourist places of Indore city i.e. Chhappan Dukan and Sarafa, etc. and conduct a drive for removal of stray dogs on top priority on the said places and before the next date, the Corporation will file an action report in this regard with datas of sterlization of stray dogs, which shall be supported by an affidavit of the senior officer of the Corporation. If we find that action report is not satisfactory, we may direct personal appearance of the Commissioner,Municipal Corporation,Indore.”

Advocate Gagan Bajad represented the Petitioner, while Government Advocate Bhuwan Gautam represented the State.

The Bench noted that the High Court on November 25, 2025, passed an order granting 10 days to counsel for the State to apprise the Court on the action that was taken by the Indore Municipal Corporation with regard to the removal of stray dogs in terms of the order passed by the Supreme Court in Re City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price (2025) on November 7, 2025.

The Court was informed that an interim order and a final order were passed in Sanjay Vs. State of M.P. (2019). The Court had directed the Commissioner, IMC, to hold meetings with at least two representatives of the NGO, officers from the VETS society for Animal Welfare, and the officials of the Veterinary Department. The Indore Municipal Corporation was asked to continue with the sterilisation of street dogs. The Court had also asked the State to ensure free supply of rabies vaccines to all those persons who approach the hospitals in case of a dog bite. Indore Municipal Corporation was asked to start a campaign in respect of public awareness relating to the birth control of street dogs and also regarding anti-rabies vaccination.

It was brought to the Court’s notice that certain drives were taken by the Municipal Corporation with regard to the cattle issue and also the stray dogs. However, counsel for the intervenors submitted that the whole city was facing a menace because of the stray dogs, and several dog-biting cases had been reported.

In light of such facts and circumstances, the Bench held, “Considering the same, we direct the Indore Municipal Corporation to comply with the direction which have been reproduced hereinabove and also the directions given by Apex Court which has been referred in our order dated 25.11.2025.”

In order to ensure proper compliance with the directions, the Bench also directed the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation to hold a meeting of concerned officers of the Corporation and also prepare an action plan in this regard. “The meeting shall be fixed within 10 days from today”, it ordered.

The matter has now been adjourned to January 13, 2026.

Cause Title: Doing Needful a Association of Yong People Plantation Group of Indore City v. The State of Madhya Pradesh (Case No.: WP No. 15275 of 2019)

Appearance

Petitioner: Advocate Gagan Bajad

Amicus Cuariae: Senior Counsel Piyush Mathur, Advocate Madhusudan Dwivedi

State: Government Advocate Bhuwan Gautam

Respondent/ Intervenor: Advocates Kirti Patwardhan, Manish Yadav

Click here to read/download Order


Madhya Pradesh High CourtJustice Vijay Kumar ShuklaJustice Binod Kumar Dwivedi

Tulip Kanth

Assistant Editor

Tulip Kanth is an Assistant Editor at Verdictum having over 5 years of experience in the field of legal journalism and editing. She extensively covers judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts as well as Tribunals. She has previously worked with a legal publishing website where she oversaw the work of other editors and has also created updates on notifications of different Government Ministries. She holds an English Honours Degree from SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University and has completed her LLB course with specialisation in Corporate Law from Amity University.