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A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the evidence presented points to ongoing mismanagement at the deer park, repeated regulatory warnings and allegations that many animals were transported or released in violation of scientific norms governing wildlife translocation.
The bench said the case reflects a widespread failure in urban ecological governance, stressing that wildlife management should be based on scientific assessment, ecological principles and constitutional values.
The bench said, “Wildlife management cannot be seen as a matter of administrative convenience. It must be based on scientific assessment, ecological prudence and fidelity to constitutional values.”
The case arose in 2023, when a Delhi-based environmental organization challenged the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) proposal to relocate the park’s entire deer population – around 350 to 600 – to wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan and Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in Delhi.
The petitioner moved the Supreme Court after the High Court rejected the plea in 2024, following the DDA’s undertaking to maintain a small number of deer in the park. During the appeal in the Supreme Court, it was revealed that 261 deer had already been translocated.
In the previous hearing, the court had expressed concern after the petitioner claimed that many of the animals shifted might not have survived. The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) was later directed to inspect the release sites in Rajasthan and report its findings.
The petitioner alleged serious irregularities during both the transfer and inspection process, including cramming the deer into trucks, transporting them without veterinary supervision and releasing them into poacher-heavy tiger reserves without food or water.
The Court noted ongoing uncertainties regarding the number of deer translocated, their survival, and whether mandatory scientific protocols were followed. It expressed concern that officials might have relocated pregnant women, teenagers and horny men; Large numbers of animals were transported in single trucks; and failing to tag, microchip or monitor the deer after release.
The bench also questioned the decision to release captive-bred deer into tiger habitats without any evidence that they could survive in the wild. According to Barr and Bench, photographs and reports indicate that some of the deer were tied up and may have been used as live bait.
The judges said allegations of starvation in the park, inaccurate population figures and misuse of funds also needed independent verification.
The court has now directed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to inspect both the Hauz Khas Deer Park in Delhi and the rehabilitation sites in Rajasthan. Within eight weeks, the CEC must submit two reports: one on the park’s deer population, carrying capacity and welfare conditions; and the second on habitat suitability and survival rates at Rajasthan release sites.
The CEC is also tasked with developing a roadmap for all future translocation efforts, including tagging, transportation standards, veterinary care, and post-release monitoring. The Court has stayed any further transfers till the report is submitted and banned private and commercial programs in the park, instead directing the DDA to give priority to educational programmes.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 17, 2026, when the CEC and DDA reports will be reviewed.