Judiciary, Politics, and Selective Dissent in India
AUGUST 17-2025 The Supreme Court of India is expected to act as an impartial guardian of the Constitution , ensuring justice without fear or favour. Yet, in recent years, the Court’s verdicts have highlighted a troubling paradox: in politically neutral matters, public dissent against its judgments is tolerated , while in politically or communally sensitive cases, the same dissent is discouraged or silenced. This selective acceptance was evident in the recent controversy over the Court’s directive to remove stray dogs from the streets of Delhi-NCR , in contrast to the silence expected over politically charged judgments such as the Ayodhya dispute and issues concerning Kashmir human rights violations . The Stray Dog Judgement: A Case of Widespread Public Protest On August 11, 2025 , a Division Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan directed municipal authorities to round up all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR within six to eight weeks and confine them permanent...