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Synopsis

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court recently initiated a Public Interest Litigation on its own motion over the issue of increasing incidents of dog bites in Ladakh.

The suo motu PIL was taken up upon certain facts being brought to the notice of the Chief Justice of the high court wherein it had been highlighted that the registered dog bite cases in Ladakh had exponentially increased from 854 in 2017 to 2229 in 2022.

It was also highlighted that about 220 people were reportedly bitten by dogs in January 2023 alone in Ladakh.

"This has created fear psychos not only amongst local populace but also the tourists," a division bench of Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Sanjay Dhar observed. 

The bench also highlighted that reportedly street dogs are attacking wild herbivores which is also a grave concern for the local people and cattle owners.

Court issued notice to seven authorities/officials including Commissioner/Secretary of Union Territory of Leh-Ladakh, Secretary of Department of Animal Husband, Leh-Ladakh, Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Municipal Committee, Leh through its Chairman, Municipal Committee, Kargil through its Chairman, Director, Health Services, Kargil, and Ladakh Legal Services Authority, through its Member Secretary.

Court ordered the respondents to file their respective responses within two weeks while posting the matter next on April 19, 2023. 

Case Title: Court on its own motion v. Union Territory of Ladakh