Meghalaya High Court Transfers Stray Dogs PIL to Supreme Court

Supreme Court's Directive Leads to Modification of High Court's Jurisdiction Over Stray Dog Issue

In a significant judicial development, the Meghalaya High Court has modified its previous stance on retaining jurisdiction over a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the issue of stray dogs. The court, led by Mr. H.S. Thangkhiew, A.C.J. and W. Diengdoh, J., has adhered to the Supreme Court's directive to transfer all similar cases for collective consideration.

The case, State of Meghalaya v. Shri Kaustav Paul and others, was initially retained by the High Court owing to its unique nature. However, a recent Supreme Court order dated August 22, 2025, mandated the transfer of all related High Court writ petitions to the Supreme Court. This directive aims to facilitate a comprehensive examination of the issue of stray dogs, a matter that has sparked widespread public concern.

During the proceedings, the Advocate General, Mr. A. Kumar, emphasized the Supreme Court's directive and advocated for the transfer of the PIL records to the Supreme Court. Mr. K. Paul, Senior Advocate appearing in person, and Mr. S. Dey, representing respondents 2 and 3, supported this move, acknowledging the necessity of a centralized judicial review.

The court, acknowledging the submissions and the Supreme Court's directive, decided to recall its earlier order from August 30, 2025. Consequently, the records from PIL No.4 of 2024 will be promptly transmitted to the Supreme Court's Registry.

This decision underscores the judiciary's commitment to addressing the stray dog issue cohesively, ensuring that similar cases are consolidated for a unified legal approach. The modification of the High Court's order marks a pivotal step in streamlining judicial processes concerning public welfare issues.

Bottom Line:

Public Interest Litigation - Modification of High Court's order due to Supreme Court's directive for transfer of similar cases - High Court modified its earlier order and transferred the matter to the Supreme Court as per its directive. 

Statutory provision(s): Not explicitly mentioned in the judgment.

State of Meghalaya v. Shri Kaustav Paul, (Meghalaya)(DB) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2785670