Animal Rights Fund Vs Chief Secretary — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Animal Rights Fund Vs Chief Secretary — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No substantive relief granted on the prayers; petitioners left at liberty to approach the Hon'ble Apex Court for any grievance against the respondents; Respondent No.5 directed to consider, upon submission of details by the petitioners, making use of shelter premises offered by them for the purposes directed by the Hon'ble Apex Court.

Issue for consideration

Whether the relief sought by the petitioners (monitoring by the Karnataka Animal Welfare Board of the shifting of street dogs to designated shelters after sterilization and vaccination, access for inspection, non-treatment of ABC Centres as designated shelters, and advertisement-based appointment of NGOs to run dog shelters, in compliance with the Hon'ble Supreme Court's directions) can be considered by this Court, given that the Hon'ble Apex Court is itself seized of SLP(Civil) No.14763/2024 and connected matters and is monitoring its directions. +1 more

Court's answer

Since the Hon'ble Apex Court is seized of SLP(Civil) No.14763/2024 and other connected matters, has issued directions therein, and is itself monitoring those directions, the relief sought for by the petitioners cannot be considered by this Court.

Ratio / Principle

If at all the petitioners have any grievance as regards the action on the part of the respondents, the petitioners would be at liberty to approach the Hon'ble Apex Court.

Key takeaways

As and when the petitioners submit details of shelters they may organise for housing the stray dogs, Respondent No.5 is directed to consider the said request and make use of those premises for the purposes as directed by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the above matter.ratio¶49

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (Suraj Govindaraj J., 06.01.2026), WP No. 39140 of 2025 (LB-RES) — Animal Rights Fund (a trust represented by Dilip Bafna) & Ms. Neveena Kamath v. Chief Secretary, State of Karnataka & others: Petitioners sought (i) close monitoring by the Karnataka Animal Welfare Board (KAWB) of the shifting of street dogs to designated shelters after sterilization and vaccination, with monthly reports on departures from the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; (ii) access for the petitioners, District SPCAs and AWBI-recognised NGOs to verify rehabilitation infrastructure for captured street dogs in compliance with the Hon'ble Supreme Court's directions; (iii) that ABC Centres not be treated as designated shelters; and (iv) advertisement-based appointment of NGOs with disclosed veterinary/animal-care qualifications to run dog shelters. Held: the Hon'ble Apex Court is seized of SLP(Civil) No.14763/2024 and other connected matters and is itself issuing and monitoring directions thereunder; accordingly the relief sought cannot be considered by this Court, and the petitioners are at liberty to approach the Hon'ble Apex Court. Further, as and when the petitioners submit details of shelters they may organise for housing stray dogs, Respondent No.5 (Chief Commissioner, Greater Bengaluru Authority) is directed to consider the request and make use of those premises for the purposes directed by the Hon'ble Apex Court. Writ petition disposed of.

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NC: 2026:KHC:557 WP No. 39140 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 6^TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ WRIT PETITION NO. 39140 OF 2025 (LB-RES)

BETWEEN:

ANIMAL RIGHTS FUND

A TRUST HAVING REGISTRATION NO. IV 11/99-2000, HAVING ITS OFFICE 10/4, 1ST FLOOR, COMFORT MANOR KUMARA KRUPA ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001, REPRESENTED BY MR. DILIP BAFNA, TRUSTEE.

MS. NEVEENA KAMATH AGED ABOUT 59 YEARS, DAUGHTER OF (LATE) R. C. D. KAMATH, RESIDING AT 260, 18TH C MAIN, 6TH BLOCK, KORAMANGALA, BANGALORE - 560 095.

…PETITIONERS

Digitally signed by SHWETHA RAGHAVENDRA

Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

(BY SRI. UDAY SHANKAR M.,ADVOCATE)

AND:

CHIEF SECRETARY STATE OF KARNATAKA, VIDHANA SOUDHA, DR. AMBEDKAR ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001.

PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND FISHERIES, M. S. BLDG, BANGALORE - 560 001.

ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY, URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT VIKASA SOUDHA, AMBEDKAR VEEDHI,

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HC-KAR

BANGALORE - 560 001.

ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY,

RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYAT RAJ 3RD GATE, 3RD FLOOR, M.S. BUILDING BANGALORE - 560 001.

CHIEF COMMISSIONER, GREATER BENGALURU AUTHORITY HUDSON CIRCLE (CORPORATION CIRCLE), BENGALURU - 560 002

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SMT. SPOORTHI V, HCGP FOR R1 TO R4; SRI. PAWAN KUMAR, ADVOCATE FOR R5)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO-A. DIRECT THE RESPONDENT NO. 2 TO ENSURE THAT THE PROCESS OF SHIFTING THE STREET DOGS TO DESIGNATED SHELTERS AFTER STERILIZATION AND VACCINATION AND THEIR UPKEEP AND HEALTH BE CLOSELY MONITORED BY THE KARNATAKA ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD (KAWB). AND THAT THE KAWB SHOULD PROVIDE MONTHLY REPORTS TO RESPONDENT NO.2 ON ANY DEPARTURE FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT, 1960 AND ETC.,

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

ORAL ORDER

Learned Additional Government Advocate accepts notice

for respondent Nos.1 to 4.

Sri. Pawan Kumar, learned counsel accepts notice for respondent No.5.

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NC: 2026:KHC:557 WP No. 39140 of 2025

HC-KAR

Petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following

reliefs:

(a) direct the respondent no. 2 to ensure that the process of shifting the street dogs to designated shelters after sterilization and vaccination; and their upkeep and health be closely monitored by the Karnataka Animal Welfare Board (KAWB). And that the KAWB should provide monthly reports to respondent no.2 on any departure from the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

(b) direct respondents to allow the petitioners, their officers; and District SPCAs or any AWBI-recognized NGOs engaged in activities of rescuing animals, providing shelter, adoption, etc. to visit the facilities to verify rehabilitation infrastructures, etc. provided to the captured street dogs meet the safety and well-being of the animals in compliance with the directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court;

(c) direct the respondents to not treat the ABC Centres as designated shelters;

(d) direct respondent no. 1 that the appointments of NGOs to run dog shelters must be called for in a public advertisement-based approach, and the terms of qualifications in veterinary sciences, years of experience in animal care and financial status have to be made known and;

(e) to pass such other order or orders as this Hon'ble Court deems fit to grant in the facts and circumstances of the case in the interest of justice and equity.

Essentially, what the petitioners are seeking is for monitoring the direction issued by the Hon'ble Apex Court in SLP(Civil) No.14763/2024 and other connected matters. The Hon'ble Apex Court being seized of that

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HC-KAR

matter and having issued directions, which are being monitored by the Hon'ble Apex Court, the relief sought for by the petitioners cannot be considered by this Court. If at all the petitioners have any grievance as regards the action on the part of the respondents, the petitioners would be at liberty to approach the Hon'ble Apex Court.

The submission of learned counsel for the petitioners is also that the petitioners may be in a position to organize certain shelters for housing the stray dogs by respondent No.5. If that be so, as and when the petitioners were to submit details thereof. Respondent No.5 is directed to consider the said request and make use of those premises for the purposes as directed by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the above matter.

With the above observations, the writ petition stands disposed of.

SD/(SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE

GJM

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