Stray Dogs Contributed to My International Fame, Says Justice Vikram Nath

At the “Regional Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict” in Thiruvananthapuram, Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath shared an amusing anecdote about how a legal case involving stray dogs in Delhi catapulted him to international recognition. He stated his gratitude to the stray dogs for his global fame, emphasizing his involvement in the three-member bench that handled the important case. Justice Nath noted that the case expanded his recognition beyond the legal field, earning him acknowledgment from a wider audience. He recounted receiving messages of support and good wishes from dog enthusiasts and, playfully, from dogs themselves. He also thanked Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai for assigning the case to him. While attending the ‘Law Asia POLA Summit,’ he was questioned about the case by leaders of foreign lawyers’ associations, which he found gratifying. The bench, under Justice Nath, intervened to halt a ban on the release of stray dogs captured in Delhi-NCR, ordering their return to their original habitats after vaccination and sterilization. The case was brought to Justice Nath amid significant public dissent regarding the original order, which was seen as cruel. His bench proposed a balanced resolution. Justice Vikram Nath is slated to become the Chief Justice of India in 2027, succeeding Justice Surya Kant.