India, May 20 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to modify its November 2025 directions ordering all states and Union territories to remove stray dogs from institutional areas such as schools, hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots and railway stations, and ruled that such dogs cannot be released back into these locations even after sterilisation.

Dismissing a batch of applications seeking recall, clarification or modification of the earlier directions, a bench of justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria held that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 do not confer any "absolute or unqualified entitlement" to re-release sterilised stray dogs into sensitive public spaces.

The court also rejected all pleas challenging...