IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE/ORIGINAL/INHERENT JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 5988 OF 2019

ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA & ANR. … Appellant(s)

PEOPLE FOR ELIMINATION OF STRAY TROUBLES & ORS. … Respondent(s)

WITH

VERSUS

CONTEMPT PETITION (Civil) No. 944/2017 in I.A. No.4/2015

in

Writ Petition (Civil) No. 599/2015

JOSE SABASTIN AND ANR. … Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

DR. K.M. ABRAHAM CHIEF SECRETARY,STATE OF KERALA … Respondent(s)

Writ Petition(Civil) No. 1439/2019

VERSUS

THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5956/2019

THE STATE OF KERALA AND ANR. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

DISTRICT PANCHAYATH REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY … Respondent(s)

1

SANJAY KUMAR … Petitioner(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5953/2019

THE STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

IDUKKI SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION OF CRUELTY OF ANIMALS IDUKKI DISTRICT AND ANR. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5955/2019

STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

THE ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5948/2019

THE STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

DAYA AND ANR. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5954/2019

THE STATE OF KERALA … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

KOCHOUSEPH CHITTILAPPILLY AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Writ Petition (Civil) No. 319/2020

HUMANE FOUNDATION FOR PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AND ORS. … Petitioner (s)

VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

CONTEMPT PETITION (Civil) No. 40/2022 in

Civil Appeal No. 5988/2019

RISHI DEV … Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

DR. JANE PRASAD AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Diary No(s). 35297/2022

SWATI SUDHIRCHANDRA CHATTERJEE AND ORS. … Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

VIJAY SHANKARRAO … Respondent(s) TALEWAR AND ORS.

Respondent(s)

Diary No(s). 35322/2022

JANICE SMITH ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST AND ANR. … Petitioner (s)

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 20845/2022

THE PEOPLE FOR ANIMAL TRUST … Petitioner (s)

VERSUS

VIJAY SHANKARRAO TALEWAR AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Writ Petition(Civil) No. 765/2023

DIPANKARA SUMEDHO … Petitioner (s)

VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5990/2019

DEFENCE OF ANIMALS THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT MRS.FIZZAH SHAH … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5991/2019

THE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS AND ANR. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

PEOPLE FOR ELIMINATION OF STRAY TROUBLES (PEST) AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5992/2019

WELFARE OF STRAY DOGS<br>(PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST)	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
PEOPLE FOR ELIMINATION OF<br>STRAY TROUBLES AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)
Civil Appeal No. 6042/2019
PEOPLE FOR ELIMINATION OF<br>STRAY TROUBLES AND ANR.	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)
Civil Appeal No. 6551/2019
ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
B.KRISHNA BHAT AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)
Civil Appeal No. 6552/2019
NRUPA R. NATHVANI AND ORS.	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA THROUGH ITS<br>SECRETARY	…	Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 6553/2019

COMPASSION UNLIMITED PLUS<br>ACTION (CUPA) BBMP CUPA<br>THROUGH ITS SECRETARY	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
BRUHAT BANGALORE MAHANAGARA<br>PALIKE THROUGH ITS<br>COMMISSIONER AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)
Civil Appeal No. 5950/2019
THE STATE OF KERALA AND ORS.	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
THICHUR NAZEER AND ANR.	…	Respondent(s)
Civil Appeal No. 5951/2019
THE STATE OF KERALA AND ORS.	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION<br>COUNCIL	…	Respondent(s)
Civil Appeal No. 5952/2019
STATE OF KERALA	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
THE ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD<br>OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY ITS<br>SECRETARY	…	Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5989/2019

VINIYOG PARIVAR TRUST AND ANR. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

BRIHAN MUMBAI MUNICIPAL CORP. AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5930/2019

ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA<br>THROUGH ITS SECRETARY	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
DIMPLE VAHALI OBEROI AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)

Writ Petition(Civil) No. 599/2015

ANUPAM TRIPATHI	…	Appellant(s)
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5972/2019

ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA AND ANR. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

OMBUDSMAN FOR LOCAL
SELF GOVERNMENT
INSTITUTIONS AND ORS.	…	Respondent(s)

Writ Petition(Civil) No. 805/2015

SABU STEEPHEN AND ORS. … Petitioner(s) VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Writ Petition (Civil) No. 808/2015

ALUVA JANASEVA @ JANASEVA SISUBHAVAN THR. ITS SECRETARY … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5947/2019

THE STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. … Appellant(s) VERSUS

M.R. AJAYAN AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

Civil Appeal No. 5949/2019

THE STATE OF KERALA AND ANR. … Appellant(s)

VERSUS

THOMAS CHANDY AND ORS. … Respondent(s)

O R D E R

1. The point raised for consideration in the present batch of petitions is as to whether the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (hereinafter referred to as '1960 Act' for short), and the rules framed thereunder i.e. the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2001 (hereinafter referred to as '2001 Rules' for brevity), would prevail over the local/Municipal Laws of the concerned States in the management of stray dogs or not?

2. Looking at the first petition, that in specific, the Animal Welfare Board of India preferred Civil Appeal No. 5988 of 2019 assailing the final judgment and order dated 19.12.2008 passed by the three-Judge Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Bombay in appellate side Writ Petition No. 6257 of 2006. The inter play between the provisions of the 1960 Act and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 and the respective rules/regulations framed/ issued in terms thereof, was the subject matter for consideration before the Court.

3. The said appeal, being the first in the point of time, was preferred as a special leave petition in the year 2009, wherein notice was issued on 23.01.2009 and the operation of the Judgment of the Bombay High Court was stayed and subsequently, leave to appeal granted. 4. Since then, we find much water has flown down. We notice that in the said appeal, several parties

**have filed different applications (**about 30 in number) seeking certain directions. Also, several independent petitions (06 in number) stand filed which, over a period of time stand tagged and heard together along with the said appeal, as revealed from the proceedings.

5. We notice that in terms of our order dated 18.11.2015, it stands observed that all the municipal corporation(s), municipal committee(s), district board(s) and local bodies shall be guided by the provisions of the 1960 Act and the 2001 Rules and that it would be the duty and obligation of the Animal Welfare Board, ensuring compliance and follow up action with all earnestness.

6. Subsequently, as is evident from certain orders, several issues were raised by the stakeholders, inter alia, ensuring proper and complete implementation framework for the street dogs population management, rabies eradication and reducing man-dog conflict causing hardship as per various divergent pleas taken by them.

7. We also notice that covering the very same issue, while dealing with the similar statutes, different High Courts have taken divergent views. Whereas the

Kerala High Court has upheld the 2001 Rules, further holding that the municipal laws for dealing with the stray dogs should be in compliance with the 2001 Rules and discretionary powers cannot be granted to the municipal authorities for killing the stray dogs. The High Courts of Bombay, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh have held that the local authorities have discretionary powers to kill the stray dogs for them not to be subjected by the 2001 Rules, notified by the Central Government. The minority judgment of the Bombay High Court is in line with the opinion rendered by the Kerala High Court.

8. Different appeals/special leave petitions (23 in number) arising out of the said orders/judgments also stand filed and as such clubbed with the main appeal. It is also noticed that certain contempt petitions, two in number, were filed and heard along with the main appeal.

9. Well, all this was prior to 10.03.2023, on which date, the Annual Birth Control Rules, 2023, stand notified by the Central Government, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal husbandry and Dairying, and now in force.

10. Considering all the intervening developments and more specifically the enactment of the new Rules putting in place mechanism for preventing the infliction of unnecessary pains and sufferings on animals, more specifically the canines, we intend to close the instant proceedings leaving it open for each one of the parties to pursue their remedies on occasion so arises, if so advised, before the Constitutional Courts, other Forums having respective jurisdiction, in accordance with law.

11. We only hasten to add, that under all circumstances, there cannot be any indiscriminate killings of canines and the authorities have to take action in terms of the mandate and spirit of the prevalent legislation(s) in place. There is no gainsaying in the fact that exhibiting compassion to all living beings, is the enshrined Constitutional value and mandate, and cast obligation on the authorities to maintain.

12. We clarify that all issues, raised in the instant lis are kept open to be adjudicated in an appropriate proceedings, before the appropriate forum, in accordance with law. Whether be it may the mechanism in terms of the new Rules deficient/insufficient or

repugnant to the Constitution or the parent statute(s); in our considered view, which can be best considered by the Constitutional Courts or other Forums accounting for all factors and circumstances, local in nature, being germane for adjudication for them and to decide it independently. We are hopeful that as and when any such issue is raised, the same shall be considered expeditiously, in accordance with law, uninfluenced of any one of the observations made in the impugned orders/judgments and the proceedings of these batch of petitions/appeals.

13. With the aforesaid observations, the appeals/petitions stand disposed of. All the applications shall also stand closed.

………………………………………….. J. [J.K. MAHESHWARI]

………………………………………….. J. [SANJAY KAROL]

New Delhi; May 09, 2024.

ITEM NO.112 COURT NO.9 SECTION III

S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Civil Appeal No. 5988/2019

ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA & ANR. Appellant(s) VERSUS

PEOPLE FOR ELIMINATION OF STRAY TROUBLES & ORS. Respondent(s) (IA No. 228159/2023 - ADDITION / DELETION / MODIFICATION PARTIES and IA No. 196166/2022 - APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION and IA No. 245159/2023 - APPLICATION FOR REJECTION OF THE PLAINT and IA No. 141459/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 89077/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 74085/2018 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 38557/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 22823/2022 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION and IA No. 77765/2018 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION and IA No. 71833/2024 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT and IA No. 196155/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT and IA No. 10860/2018 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 145257/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 50034/2024 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 38561/2023 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 10871/2018 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 5320/2024 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 128421/2023 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 48830/2024 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 6038/2024 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 38549/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 15857/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 71819/2024 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 131449/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 56180/2024 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 228156/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 196151/2022 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 226157/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 189486/2022 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 225000/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 215374/2023 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 206776/2023 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 196161/2022 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 189497/2022 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 38552/2023 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 147935/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES and IA No. 230380/2023 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES and IA No. 50029/2024 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES and IA No. 225876/2023 - PERMISSION TO FILE APPLICATION FOR DIRECTION and IA No. 224055/2023 - WITHDRAWAL OF CASE / APPLICATION)

WITH

CONMT.PET.(C) No. 944/2017 in W.P.(C) No. 599/2015 (PIL-W) (IA No. 50714/2017 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 41847/2018 - I/A FOR AMENDMENT OF SOLE CONTEMNORS NAME) W.P.(C) No. 1439/2019 (PIL-W) (IA No. 119635/2020 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 188586/2019 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.) C.A. No. 5956/2019 (XI-A) C.A. No. 5953/2019 (XI-A) C.A. No. 5955/2019 (XI-A) (FOR PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON ON IA 187109/2019) C.A. No. 5948/2019 (XI-A) C.A. No. 5954/2019 (XI-A) W.P.(C) No. 319/2020 (PIL-W) (IA No. 24146/2020 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES) CONMT.PET.(C) No. 40/2022 in C.A. No. 5988/2019 (III) (FOR ADMISSION) Diary No(s). 35297/2022 (IX) (IA No. 171074/2022 - APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION and IA No. 170999/2022 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION and IA No. 169336/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT and IA No. 170996/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 176803/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 175938/2022 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 169338/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES and IA No. 169337/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE PETITION (SLP/TP/WP/..)) Diary No(s). 35322/2022 (IX) (IA No. 170690/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT and IA No. 170689/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE PETITION (SLP/TP/WP/..)) SLP(C) No. 20845/2022 (IX) (IA No. 174849/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT) W.P.(C) No. 765/2023 (X) (IA No. 143732/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS) C.A. No. 5990/2019 (III) C.A. No. 5991/2019 (III)

Civil Appeal No. 5988/2019 etc.

C.A. No. 5992/2019 (III) (IA No. 2/2015 - PERMISSION TO FILE ANNEXURES)

C.A. No. 6042/2019 (III) (IA No. 1/2010 - CONDONATION OF DELAY IN FILING)

C.A. No. 6551/2019 (IV-A) (IA No. 108994/2019 - VACATING STAY)

C.A. No. 6552/2019 (IV-A) (IA No. 243222/2023 - ADDITION / DELETION / MODIFICATION PARTIES and IA No. 100795/2017 - VACATING STAY)

C.A. No. 6553/2019 (IV-A) (IA No. 243224/2023 - ADDITION / DELETION / MODIFICATION PARTIES and IA No. 697/2021 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION and IA No. 700/2021 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT and IA No. 108987/2019 - VACATING STAY)

C.A. No. 5950/2019 (XI-A)

C.A. No. 5951/2019 (XI-A)

C.A. No. 5952/2019 (XI-A)

C.A. No. 5989/2019 (III)

C.A. No. 5930/2019 (XIV-A)

W.P.(C) No. 599/2015 (PIL-W)

(IA No. 8781/2018 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION and IA No. 3/2015 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 10/2016 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 175799/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 155093/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 147924/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 1/2015 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 6/2016 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON and IA No. 11/2016 - PERMISSION TO FILE ANNEXURES and IA No. 9/2016 - PERMISSION TO FILE ANNEXURES and IA No. 8/2016 - PERMISSION TO FILE ANNEXURES)

C.A. No. 5972/2019 (XI-A) (IA No. 99975/2017 - PERMISSION TO FILE APPLICATION FOR DIRECTION)

W.P.(C) No. 805/2015 (PIL-W)

(IA No. 7/2017 - AMENDMENT IN CAUSE TITLE and IA No. 151960/2018 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 64919/2018 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 131906/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 80873/2017 - DELETING THE NAME OF PETITIONER/RESPONDENT and IA No. 9/2017 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No. 1/2015 - PERMISSION TO APPEAR AND ARGUE IN PERSON)

W.P.(C) No. 808/2015 (PIL-W) (IA No. 2/2015 - DISPENSING WITH SERVICE OF NOTICE)

C.A. No. 5947/2019 (XI-A)

(IA No. 123006/2023 - APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION and IA No. 129897/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 117316/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 121245/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 119872/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS and IA No. 131731/2022 – CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION and IA No. 119871/2023 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 129890/2023 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 128495/2023 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION and IA No. 131989/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 121240/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 230546/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 228130/2023 – INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT and IA No. 117494/2023 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES)

C.A. No. 5949/2019 (XI-A)

Date : 09-05-2024 These matters were called on for hearing today.

CORAM :

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE J.K. MAHESHWARI HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KAROL

For parties

Mr. Arunabh Chowdhary, Sr. Adv. Mr. Amol Chitale, Adv. Mr. Nirnimesh Dube, Adv. Mr. Susheel Joseph Cyriac, Adv. Ms. Sonia Dube, Adv. Ms. Priya S Bhalerao, Adv. Mr. Varun Kanwal, Adv. M/S. Lex Regis Law Offices, AOR Mr. Ajit Sharma, AOR Ms. Aparna Bhat, AOR Ms. Karishma Maria, Adv. Mr. Sudhanshu S. Choudhari, AOR Ms. Manisha T. Karia, AOR Mr. Rohan Trivedi, Adv. Ms. Swapnil Baudh, Adv. Mr. Dipinshani, Adv. Ms. Ananya Arora, Adv. Mr. Vikram Chandravanshi, Adv.

M/S. Acm Legal, AOR Mr. Nirnimesh Dube, AOR Ms. Shilpa Liza George, Adv. Mr. Km Vignesh Ram, Adv. Mr. Nasib masih, Adv. Mr. Rajeev Kumar Dubey, Adv. Mr. Kamlendra Mishra, AOR Mr. Krishnan Venugopal, Sr. Adv. Mr. Debmalya Banerjee, Adv. Mr. Krishnan Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Kartik Bhatnagar, Adv. Ms. Esha Dutta, Adv. Mr. Anmol, Adv. Ms. Shaalini Agrawal, Adv. M/S. Karanjawala & Co., AOR Mr. Sudarsh Menon, AOR Mr. Ashish Verma, Adv. Mr. Rajesh Rathod, Adv. Mr. Shine P. Sasidhar, Adv. Mr. Sarthak Mehrotra, Adv. Mr. Dhruv Tank, Adv. Mr. Aniruddha Awalgaonkar, Adv. Ms. Bhavya Pande, Adv. Ms. Surbhi Kapoor, AOR Mr. Nirbhay Kumar, Adv. Mr. Nishant Mandal, Adv. Mr. Chand Qureshi, AOR Mr. Abhay Kumar, Adv. Mr. Raman Raj Gangwar, Adv. Mr. Shubham Srivastava, Adv. Mr. Shashikant, Adv. Mr. Gurudutt, Adv. Mr. Mohit, Adv. Mr. Deepu Singh, Adv. Mr. Praveen Pathak, Adv. Mr. Avadhesh Kumar Dubey, Adv. Mr. Dewashish Vishwakarma, Adv. Mr. Santosh Anandrao Jadhav, Adv. Mr. Surendra Gautam, Adv. Petitioner-in-person Mr. V. Giri, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Pallav Shishodia, Sr. Adv.

Mr. C. K. Sasi, AOR

Ms. Meena K Poulose, Adv. Ms. Anupriya, Adv. Mr. V. K. Biju, AOR Mrs. Ria Sachthey, Adv. Mr. Chetanya Singh, Adv. Mr. Mayank Pandey, Adv. Mr. Mayankn Pandey, Adv. Mr. Shreekant Neelappa Terdal, AOR Mr. Vikrant Singh Bais, AOR Mr. Arunabh Chowdhury, Sr. Adv. Ms. Priya S. Bhalerao, Adv. Mr. Amol Chiltale, Adv. Mr. Amol Chitale, Adv. Mr. Nirnimesh Dube, Adv. Mr. Susheel Joseph Cyriac, Adv. Ms. Priya Bhalerao, Adv. Ms. Sonia Dube, Adv. Ms. Priya S Bhalerao, Adv. Mr. Varun Kanwal, Adv. M/S. Lex Regis Law Offices, AOR Mr. Shakul R. Ghatole, Adv. Mr. Firdos Mirza, Adv. Mr. Vatsalya Vigya, AOR Caveator-in-person Mr. Munawwar Naseem, AOR Ms. Anindita Mitra, AOR Mr. Ankit Goel, AOR M/S. Arputham Aruna and Co, AOR Mr. Raj Bahadur Yadav, AOR Mr. Guntur Prabhakar, AOR Mr. V. N. Raghupathy, AOR Mr. Manendra Pal Gupta, Adv. Mr. Ratnesh Kumar Shukla, AOR Mr. Ranjan Mukherjee, AOR Ms. K. Enatoli Sema, AOR

Mr. Shree Pal Singh, AOR Mr. V. K. Biju, AOR Mrs. Ria Sachthey, Adv. Mr. Chetanya Singh, Adv. Mr. Mayank Pandey, Adv. Mrs. Rubina Jawed, Adv. Mr. B. Balaji, AOR Mr. Dhananjay Garg, Adv. Mr. Abhishek Garg, Adv. Mr. Ishaan Tiwari, Adv. Mr. Chanakya Gupta, Adv. Mr. Dinesh Kumar Garg, AOR Mr. Chaudhary Shamsuddin Khan, Adv. Mr. Tanuj Gulati, Adv. Mr. R.p. Bansal, Adv. Mr. Ramesh Babu M. R., AOR Ms. Ruchi Kohli, AOR Ms. G. Indira, AOR Mr. Satya Mitra, AOR Mr. B.k. Satija, A.A.G. Mr. Sanjay Kumar Visen, AOR Mr. Parth Sarathi, Adv. Mr. Gyanendra Vikram Singh, Adv. Mr. P. V. Dinesh, Sr. Adv. Ms. Anna Oommen, Adv. Ms. Uryashi Chauhan, Adv. Ms. Anne Mathew, Adv. Mr. P. S. Sudheer, AOR Mr. Rishi Maheshwari, Adv. Mr. Bharat Sood, Adv. Ms. Miranda Solaman, Adv. Mr. Paul P. Abraham, Adv. Mr. M. Gireesh Kumar, Adv. Mr. Ankur S. Kulkarni, AOR Ms. Uditha Chakravarthy, Adv. Ms. Shalaka Srivastava, Adv. Mr. Shibashish Misra, AOR

Ms. Uma Devi. M, AOR Mr. Ashok Kumar Singh, AOR Ms. Hemantika Wahi, AOR Ms. Anushree Prashit Kapadia, AOR Mr. Kunal Chatterji, AOR Ms. Maitrayee Banerjee, Adv. Mr. Rohit Bansal, Adv. Ms. Kshitij Singh, Adv. Mr. Sunil Fernandes, AOR Mr. S. Nagamuthu, Sr. Adv. Ms. Aswathi M.K., AOR Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General Mr. K M Nataraj, A.S.G. Mr. Gurmeet Singh Makker, AOR Mr. Kanu Agrawal, Adv. Mr. R R Rajesh, Adv. Mr. S K Singhania, Adv. Mr. Shetty Uday Sagar, Adv. Mr. Shubhranshu Padhi, Adv. Ms. Ruchi Kohli, Adv. Ms. Sweksha, Adv. Mr. Pahlad Singh Sharma, AOR Mr. Chanchal Kumar Ganguli, AOR Mr. Narendra Kumar, AOR Mr. Rahul Chitnis, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Dharmadhikari, Adv. Mr. Aaditya Aniruddha Pande, AOR Mr. Bharat Bagla, Adv. Mr. Sourav Singh, Adv. Mr. Aditya Krishna, Adv. Ms. Preet S. Phanse, Adv. Mr. Adarsh Dubey, Adv. Mr. Atul Yeshwant Chitale, Sr. Adv. Mr. Nirbhay Singh, Adv. Mr. Madhav Chitale, Adv. Mrs. Suchitra Atul Chitale, AOR Mr. Shauryapratapsinh Barhat, Adv.

Mr. Mohan V. Katarki, Sr. Adv. Mr. Subhash Chandra Sagar, Adv. Mr. Hemant Kumar Sagar, Adv. Mr. E. C. Vidya Sagar, AOR Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, AOR Mr. Sureshan P., AOR Ms. Rukhmini Bobde, Adv. Ms. Soumya Priyadarshinee, Adv. Mr. Amit Srivastava, Adv. Mr. Amlaan Kumar, Adv. Mr. Vishal Prasad, AOR Ms. Manisha T. Karia, AOR Mr. Samir Ali Khan, AOR Mr. Pranjal Sharma, Adv. Mr. Kashif Irshad Khan, Adv. Mr. Abhimanyu Jhamba, Adv. Ms. Ankita Sharma, AOR Mr. Arjun D Singh, Adv. Mr. Shreekant Neelappa Terdal, AOR Mr. Sourav Roy, AOR Mr. Anand Grover, Sr. Adv. Mr. Purushottam Sharma Tripathi, AOR Ms. Varnika Singh, Adv. Mr. Ravi Chandra Prakash, Adv. Mr. Amit, Adv. Ms. Vani Vyas, Adv. Mr. Abhishek Tripathi, Adv. Mr. Aman Ashesh, Adv. Mr. Khuloos Aziz Chawla, Adv. Mr. Prakhar, Adv. Mr. Ajay K. Agrawal, AOR Mr. Lakshmeesh S. Kamath, AOR Ms. Samriti Ahuja, Adv. Ms. Aditi Prakash, Adv. Mr. Karan Singh Dalal, Adv. Mr. Raghvendra Kumar, AOR Mr. Anand Kumar Dubey, Adv. Mr. Jainendra Kumar, Adv. Ms. Harsha Sharma, Adv.

Mr. Devvrat Singh, Adv. Mr. Maneesh Pathak, Adv. Mr. Varun Singh, Adv. Mr. Simanta Kumar, Adv. Mr. Gopal Prasad, AOR Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General Mr. K M Nataraj, A.S.G. Mr. Kanu Agarwal, Adv. Mr. R R Rajesh, Adv. Mr. S K Singhania, Adv. Mr. Shetty Uday Sagar, Adv. Mr. Shubhranshu Padhi, Adv. Ms. Ruchi Kohli, Adv. Ms. Sweksha, Adv. Mr. Piyush Beriwal, Adv. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Verma, Adv. Mr. Ishaan Sharma, Adv. Ms. Indira Bhakar, Adv. Mr. Mukul Singh, Adv. Mr. Rajesh Singh Chauhan, Adv. Mr. Vatsal Joshi, Adv. Mr. Varun Chugh, Adv. Mr. Shashwat Parihar, Adv. Mr. Harish Pandey, Adv. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR Mr. Vineet Singh, Adv. Mr. Sunny Choudhary, AOR Mr. Mahfooz Ahsan Nazki, AOR Mr. Polanki Gowtham, Adv. Mr. Kv Girish Chowdary, Adv. Ms. Rajeswari Mukherjee, Adv. Mr. Meeran Maqbool, Adv. Ms. Archita Nigam, Adv. Mr. Pukhrambam Ramesh Kumar, AOR Mr. Avijit Mani Tripathi, AOR Mr. T.k. Nayak, Adv. Ms. Marbiang Khongwir, Adv. Mrs. Rekha Bakshi, Adv. Mr. Som Raj Choudhury, AOR Mr. D. Kumanan, AOR Mrs. Deepa. S, Adv. Mr. Sheikh F Kalia, Adv. Mr. Veshal Tyagi, Adv.

Mr. Aravindh S., AOR Ms. Ekta Muyal, Adv. Ms. Swati Ghildiyal, AOR Ms. Devyani Bhatt, Adv. Ms. Nidhi Bhadola, Adv. Ms. Devina Sehgal, AOR Mr. Gopal Singh, AOR Mr. Ajay Singh, Adv. Mr. Ram Kumar, Adv. Mr. Maneesh Pathak, Adv. Mr. Dinesh Sharma, Adv. Mr. Vivek Narayan Sharma, AOR Mrs. Niharika Dwivedi, Adv. Ms. Anita Chahar, Adv. Mr. Abhimanyu Tewari, AOR Ms. Eliza Bar, Adv. Ms. Rooh-e-hina Dua, AOR Mr. Harshit Khanduja, Adv. Mr. Ankit Khera, Adv. Mrs. Anil Katiyar, AOR Ms. Sushma Suri, AOR Mr. C. K. Sasi, AOR Mr. Neeraj Kishan Kaul, Sr. Adv. Mr. Saurabh Kirpal, Sr. Adv. Mr. Percival Billimoria, Sr. Adv. Dr. Menaka Guruswamy, Sr. Adv. Ms. Jasmine Damkewala, AOR Mr. Rajesh Kumar, Adv. Mr. Harshwardhan Thakur, Adv. Mr. Lavkesh Bhambhani, Adv. Mr. Utkarsh Pratap, Adv. Mr. Sourabh Malhotra, Adv. Mr. Saurabh Chaudhary, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Garg, Adv. Ms. Vaishali Sharma, Adv. Ms. Rachita Sood, Adv. Mr. Rajesh Kumar, Adv. Mr. Divyam Dhyani, Adv. Mr. Divyam Khera, Adv. Ms. Nishtha Tyagi, Adv.

Mr. Tanimah Gaur, Adv. Mr. Nikhil Arora, Adv. Mr. Arvind Gupta, AOR Mr. Rajat Joseph, AOR M/S. Lead Counsel, AOR Ms. Usha Nandini V., AOR Mrs. Gargi Khanna, AOR Ms. Anne Mathew, AOR Mr. Alok Gupta, AOR Mrs. Mahalakshmi Pavani, Sr. Adv. Ms. Swati Jindal, AOR Mr. Sowmya China, Adv. Mr. Abhimanyu Kumar, Adv. Ms. Nidhi Kumar, Adv. Mr. Kunal Kakumanu, Adv. Mr. Gaurav Varma, AOR Mr. S. Gowthaman, AOR Mr. Neeraj Kumar Verma, AOR Mr. Ajit Sharma, AOR Mr. Debmalya Banerjee, Adv. Mr. Avishkar Singhvi, Adv. Mr. Kartik Bhatnagar, Adv. Ms. Esha Dutta, Adv. Mr. Anmol, Adv. Ms. Shaalini Agrawal, Adv. M/S. Karanjawala & Co., AOR Intervenor-in-person Mr. Anand Grover, Sr. Adv. Mr. Purushottam Sharma Tripathi, AOR Ms. Varnika Singh, Adv. Mr. Ravi Chandra Prakash, Adv. Mr. Amit, Adv. Ms. Vani Vyas, Adv.

• Mr. Abhishek Tripathi, Adv.
• Mr. Aman Ashesh, Adv.

Mr. Khuloos Aziz Chawla, Adv. Mr. Prakhar, Adv. Mr. Munawwar Naseem, AOR Mr. Azmat Hayat Amanullah, AOR Mr. Arpit Yadav, Adv. Ms. Dipali Mishra, Adv. Mr. Vishal Gupta, Adv. Mr. Niket Kumar, Adv. Ms. Anjali Gandhi, Adv. Mr. Sandeep Kumar, Adv. Ms. Astha Tyagi, AOR Ms. Supriya Juneja, AOR Mr. Nirbhay Kumar, Adv. Mr. Nishant Mandal, Adv. Mr. Chand Qureshi, AOR Mr. Ashish Kumar, Adv. Mr. Rajiv Ranjan Shukla, Adv. Mr. Jitendra Thakur, Adv. Ms. Divya Jaiswal, Adv. Mr. Golla Mallikarkjuna Yadav, Adv. Mr. S. C. Birla, AOR Ms. Anu Shrivastava, AOR Respondent-in-person Mr. Naveen Kumar, AOR Mr. Abhay Anil Anturkar, Adv. Mr. Dhruv Tank, Adv. Ms. Bhavya Pande, Adv. Mr. Aniruddha Awalgaonkar, Adv. Ms. Surbhi Kapoor, AOR Mr. Bhagwant Deshpande, Adv. Mr. Satyam Thareja, AOR Ms. Anjali Sharma, Adv. Mr. Deepak Bashta, Adv. Ms. Shagun Matta, AOR Ms. Mirdula Singh, Adv. Mr. Hiesh Kumar Sharma, Adv. Mr. S.K. Rajora, Adv. Mr. Amit Kumar Chawla, Adv.

Mr. Akhileshwar Jha, Adv. Mr. Sandeep Singh Dingra, Adv. Mr. Saurabh Kumar Solanki, Adv. Mr. Naresh Kumar, AOR Ms. Charu Sangwan, AOR Ms. Vipasha Singh , AOR Mr. Ankit Goel, AOR Mr. V. K. Biju, AOR Mrs. Ria Sachthey, Adv. Mr. Chetanya Singh, Adv. Mr. Mayank Pandey, Adv. Mrs. Rubina Jawed, Adv. Mr. Surendranath P V, Sr. Adv. Mr. Biju P Raman, AOR Mr. Subhash Chandran K R, Adv. Ms. Krishna L R, Adv. Mr. John Thomas Arakal, Adv. Mr. Sawan Kumar Shukla, Adv. Mr. Romy Chacko, AOR Mr. Ashwani Kumar Dubey, AOR Ms. Anu Shrivastava, AOR Mr. Sanjiv Sen, Sr. Adv. Mr. Praveen Swarup, AOR Mr. Ameet Siingh, Adv. Ms. Payal Swarup, Adv. Mr. Devesh Maurya, Adv. Mr. Ravi Kumar, Adv. Mr. Aniket Raj, Adv. Mr. Syed Zafar Husain, Adv. Ms. Pratishtha Majumdar, Adv. Mr. John Mathew, AOR Mr. M. Gireesh Kumar, Adv. Mr. Ankur S. Kulkarni, AOR Ms. Uditha Chakravarthy, Adv. Ms. Shalaka Srivastava, Adv. Mr. Gopal Prasad, AOR Respondent-in-person

Mr. Puneet Singh Bindra, AOR Mr. Akshay Sharma, Adv. Mr. Rishabh Gupta, Adv. Mr. Sameer Sethi, Adv. Mr. Anand Grover, Sr. Adv. Ms. Astha Sharma, AOR Ms. Mantika Haryani, Adv. Ms. Muakan Surana, Adv. Mr. Sanjeev Kaushik, Adv. Petitioner-in-person Mr. Rahul Bajaj, Adv. Mr. Talha Abdul Rahman, AOR Mr. Pritish Roy, Adv. Mr. M. Shaz Khan, Adv. Mr. Adnan Yousuf, Adv. Mr. Mohammed Sadique T.A., AOR Mr. Anish R. Shah, AOR Mr. Pradhuman Gohil, Adv. Mrs. Taruna Singh Gohil, AOR Mr. Rushabh N. Kapadia, Adv. Mr. Mohit Prasad, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Singh, Adv. Mr. P. N. Ravindran, Sr. Adv. Mr. Roy Abraha, Adv. Mr. Ajay K. Jain, Adv. Mr. Himinder Lal, AOR Mr. Vishnu Sharma, AOR Mrs. Anupama Sharma, Adv. Mr. Amar Jyoti Sharma, Adv. Ms. Usha Bhaskar, Adv.

UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following O R D E R

The appeals/petitions stand disposed of and all the applications shall also stand closed in terms of the signed order.

(NIDHI AHUJA) (VIRENDER SINGH) AR-cum-PS BRANCH OFFICER [Signed order is placed on the file.]