The State Home Department in Maharashtra is gearing up for a significant overhaul of its top police leadership, including the position of Director General of Police (DGP) and Police Commissioners of Nagpur and Thane. The impending retirement of the current DGP, Rajnish Seth, on December 31 has prompted the department to commence the process of selecting his successor.A top rank official said that several prominent names have emerged as contenders for the esteemed position of State DGP. The frontrunner is Senior IPS Officer Rashmi Shukla, who currently serves as the Director General (DG) of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar is also a strong candidate for the role. Other notable contenders include Thane CP Jaijeet Singh, DG ATS Sadanand Date, DG Police Housing Sandeep Bishnoi, DG Railway Pradnya Sarvade, Additional Director of NIA Atulchandra Kulkarni, and DG State Security Corporation Bipin Kumar Singh, he said. He further stated that the State Home
The Supreme Court of India on Friday considered a petition filed challenging a decision of the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court against feeding stray dogs in public spaces.
The High Court had issued various directions to the authorities concerning capturing, sheltering and feeding stray dogs. It also had directed that no citizen of Nagpur and areas surrounding it shall feed or make any attempt to feed stray dogs in public places, gardens etc. It also directed the Municipal Commissioner to ensure no such feeding at any place except the own homes of such persons. The HC had also directed the concerned authorities under Section 44 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 to detain all stray dogs wandering in the public streets.
In the Apex Court, a bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice J K Maheshwari refused to pass an interim order that no coercive steps in pursuance of the High Court order should be taken in the meanwhile.
“The order is an omnibus direction which may require some modification. If stray dogs are not fed, they will become more aggressive. We need to have the assistance of the Municipal Corporation. At the same time, there has to be checks,” Justice Khanna orally remarked during the hearing. He also remarked that the portion of the order that prohibits feeding dogs altogether unless adopted needs to be changed. “Adoption should not mean that the stray dogs will have to be brought to the homes of the feeders,” Justice Khanna orally said.
The bench listed the matter next on November 16 and directed the petitioners to serve the copies on the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and the Animal Welfare Board. However, the Bench refused to grant interim relief and directed that coercive steps would be taken against people found to violate the HC order till the next date.
The Petitioners alleged that these directions not only adversely affect the rights of street dogs, care-givers but are also contrary to both statutory provisions as well as the orders of the supreme court.
The plea in the Apex Court highlights that there was no legislation which prohibits feeding of stray dogs or otherwise makes it a penal offence and thus contends to direct statutory authorities to act contrary to law.
It states that blanket direction for detention of stray dogs is illegal as per the rule 7 of Animal Birth Control Rules make it abundantly clear that capturing/detention of dogs shall be based on “Specific complaints” about nuisance or dog bite.
The petition refers to the Supreme Court’s decision in Animal Welfare Board of India Vs A. Nagaraja which recognized that animals’ right to life and dignity and the right to get protection from human beings. The caveat filed by Vijay Talewar. Adv Shakul Ghatole appeared in the Supreme Court for the petitioner.
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