New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong displeasure over comments made by former Union minister Maneka Gandhi criticising the apex court’s orders related to the stray dog issue, observing that her statements amounted to contempt of court.
A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria said Gandhi had made sweeping remarks against institutions and individuals without due thought. While interacting with senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, who appeared on her behalf, the Bench questioned whether he had reviewed the statements made by his client.
The court referred to Gandhi’s public comments and podcasts, noting that she had levelled allegations indiscriminately. The Bench also remarked on her conduct, stating that such remarks were made without restraint or responsibility.
Although the judges observed that the comments attracted contempt, the Bench clarified that it was not initiating contempt proceedings against the former minister, citing judicial magnanimity.
During the hearing, Justice Sandeep Mehta questioned what steps Gandhi had taken during her tenure as a Union minister to address the stray dog problem, particularly in terms of securing budgetary allocations. Ramachandran responded that budgetary decisions fall under the domain of policy and added that he had represented individuals in far more serious cases in the past.
In response, Justice Vikram Nath remarked that even convicted terrorist Ajmal Kasab had not committed contempt of court, whereas Gandhi’s comments crossed that line.
The Bench further clarified that its earlier observations about holding dog feeders accountable were made seriously and not sarcastically, even though they emerged during an exchange while hearing the matter.
The hearing is still underway. On January 13, the Supreme Court had indicated that it may direct states to pay substantial compensation in cases of dog bite incidents and had stressed the need to fix accountability, including of dog feeders. The court also expressed concern over the continued failure to implement rules governing stray animals over the past five years.
