Top court says former Union minister committed contempt but refrains from action
January 20, 2026: The Supreme Court on Tuesday strongly criticised former Union minister Maneka Gandhi for her remarks targeting the court’s earlier observations on the stray dog issue, stating that she had “committed contempt of court.” A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria said Gandhi made sweeping and irresponsible comments without due application of mind, effectively attacking “everyone.” However, the judges said they were not initiating contempt proceedings against her, citing the court’s “magnanimity.”
During the hearing, the bench questioned the tone and conduct reflected in Gandhi’s statements. Justice Nath asked her counsel, senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, whether he had listened to her podcast and observed her body language, remarking that while restraint was sought from the court, Gandhi’s own comments were far from measured. The judges noted that she had made remarks “against everybody without even thinking.” Justice Mehta also questioned what steps Gandhi had taken during her tenure as a Union minister to ensure policy support or budgetary allocation to tackle the stray dog menace. When Ramachandran cited policy constraints and mentioned having represented Ajmal Kasab in the past, the bench responded sharply, noting that Kasab had not committed contempt of court, but Gandhi had.
Clarifying its earlier stance, the Supreme Court said its remarks on holding dog feeders accountable were made seriously and not in a sarcastic tone. The court reiterated concerns over public safety and non-implementation of stray animal control norms. Earlier, on January 13, the bench had indicated it may direct states to pay heavy compensation in dog bite cases and had flagged the failure to enforce prescribed regulations for over five years. The hearing in the matter is continuing.