Politics · India Bureau
Supreme Court to hear NHAI challenge to stray cattle shelter mandate
The Supreme Court has agreed to constitute a special bench to examine the National Highways Authority of India's plea against an order directing it to establish shelters for stray cattle nationwide. The NHAI has contested the directive, citing an estimated expenditure of Rs 7,000 crore and arguing the responsibility should rest with local authorities.
LSN India ·
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant agreed on Monday to form a special bench to hear the NHAI's challenge to a previous judicial direction. The authority's legal team, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, argued that an earlier bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath had tasked the NHAI with constructing cattle shelters across the country—a responsibility the authority contends should fall to district-level administrations instead.
The NHAI has estimated that implementing the directive would require approximately Rs 7,000 crore in expenditure. "Our case is that it should be done by the local district-level administration. We cannot do it pan India," Mehta told the bench comprising Chief Justice Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.
The solicitor general also sought the reconstitution of the special bench originally comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria to hear the matter. The fresh bench will now examine the jurisdictional and financial implications of the cattle shelter mandate on the national highways authority.