Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday passed an interim order directing a housing society in Navi Mumbai not to obstruct municipal authorities from taking lawful actions or stop a resident from feeding stray dogs at designated locations.
A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Advait Sethna also directed the society not to prevent any domestic help from visiting the apartment of a resident, Leela Verma, to discharge their regular duties.
The HC was hearing an application filed by Verma claiming that her fundamental rights were being violated as her domestic staff was denied access to her apartment in Sea Woods Estate Ltd.
The bench remarked that, if the allegations were true, then the society cannot breach or disrespect the fundamental rights of other residents, merely because they are feeding the dogs who belong to the area or have territorial affinity.
Verma had filed an application in the petition filed by the society challenging Rule 20 of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. The rule mandates that residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) and apartment owners’ associations (AOAs) allow stray animals to be fed on their premises. It also requires local authorities to designate feeding areas and make necessary arrangements for community animals.
The court noted that if the petitioner society had any grievance about feeding stray dogs or the designated feeding areas, it can approach the designated authority to establish a suitable mechanism. The HC has kept the matter for hearing on February 4.
