Don't feed monkeys in court premises, ensure windows of court buildings are closed: Delhi High Court circular

The Delhi High Court has issued a fresh circular asking advocates, litigants as well as its staff to strictly refrain from feedings monkeys within the court complex..The circular, issued on Friday (March 4) also asked all the concerned people to ensure that the windows of court buildings are not left open.Interestingly, this circular is different from the one issued by the High Court on February 28 in which it had asked people not to feed any stray animals like monkeys and dogs..After the February 28 circular was issued, a group of lawyers had written to the Registrar General stating that they were surprised at the circular since its tenor was contrary to the judgment passed by the Delhi High Court in Dr Maya D Chablani v Radha Mittal and others where it was held that animals have a right under law to be “treated with compassion, respect and dignity”.The letter, drafted by advocate Gauri Puri and signed by several others, stated that many of the dogs in the High Court have been residing here for a long time and many of them have also been sterilised.“With the financial assistance of many compassionate colleagues, we are also in the process of organising a further sterilisation drive to spay and neuter more stray dogs. This would only be possible if they are regularly fed in their territories so that the dogs can let us touch them for regular vaccination as also the one time spay/neuter process. Feeding stray dogs is essential for the peaceful co-existence of humans and animals. The stray dogs belong to this territory and if not fed, can in turn become aggressive and keep hunting for food closer to the court premises,” the letter said.The lawyers, therefore, asked that the circular should be modified to state that the dog feeding shall be permitted at designated spots and committee of the animal feeders, caretakers and staff of the High Court may be constituted to identify such spots.