New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused a request by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to allow chief secretaries of states, except West Bengal and Telangana, to appear virtually before the court on 3 November in the ongoing stray dogs case.

Mehta had submitted the plea before a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, suggesting that the officials appear online instead of physically. The court, however, insisted on their personal presence.

“When we require them to come and file compliance affidavit, they are just sleeping over it. No respect for the order of the court. Then alright, let them come,” Justice Nath remarked.

The matter relates to the top court’s earlier directive on 27 October, when it asked the chief secretaries of all states, barring West Bengal and Telangana, to explain their failure to file compliance affidavits despite the court’s 22 August order.

On 22 August, the Supreme Court expanded the scope of the stray dogs case beyond Delhi-National Capital Region, directing that all states and union territories be made parties to the matter. Municipal authorities were ordered to submit detailed affidavits outlining resources available for compliance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, including dog pounds, veterinarians, dog-catching personnel, and specially-modified vehicles and cages.

The bench had emphasised that the ABC Rules must be applied uniformly across India and formally impleaded all states and UTs in the case.

The suo motu case, initiated on 28 July, stems from a media report highlighting stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital.