BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Wednesday informed the Karnataka High Court that it is revisiting the entire pet dog licence issue and contemplating modifying the licensing bye-laws-2018 in view of members of the public and various organisations submitting representations against it.
Taking note of the submission made by BBMP’s counsel Srinidhi, a division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Krishna S Dixit, asked the counsel to take a decision as the issue involved emotional bearings and legal issues, and inform the same on Thursday.Indira Gopal Krishna, a teacher of a city-based school, moved the High Court by filing a writ petition against the “BBMP (Pet Dog Licensing) By-laws, 2018” notification dated February 28 issued by the Urban Development Department to govern pet ownership in the city.
Indira contended that BBMP has been in the process of drafting and implementing rules after numerous failed attempts in drafting comprehensive laws that would govern pet dog ownership in Bengaluru.
She claimed that the said notification was wholly arbitrary and was neither sustainable in law nor facts and was liable to be set aside as it was passed without any application of mind and was not published in local newspapers as required under Section 426 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation, 1976.
The petitioner contended that the notification was passed ignoring the guidelines with respect to pet and street dogs, and their care-givers, and for residents’ welfare associations and apartment owners associations, passed by the Animal Welfare Board of India in 2015.
The said notification was issued without taking into consideration the views of animal activist in the city and also the situation that exists in the city with regard to pet dogs, the petitioner said.