[Cites 1, Cited by 0]

Uttarakhand High Court

Gauri Maulekhi vs State Of Uttarakhand & Others on 16 March, 2026

HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL
HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. MANOJ KUMAR GUPTA
AND
HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE SUBHASH UPADHYAY
16TH MARCH, 2026
WRIT PETITION (PIL) NO. 79 OF 2022

Gauri Maulekhi ......Petitioner.
Versus
State of Uttarakhand & others ....Respondents.
Counsel for the Petitioner : Mr. Dharmendra Barthwal, learned
counsel and Ms. Gauri Maulekhi,
petitioner in-person.

Counsel for the State : Mr. Gajendra Tripathi, learned Standing
Counsel.
Counsel for the Respondent No.5 : Mr. Ravi Bisht, learned counsel holding
brief of Mr. Aditya Pratap Singh,
learned counsel.
Counsel for Respondent No.7 : Mr. B.S. Negi, learned counsel.
Counsel for Respondent No.8 : Mr. Yogesh Kumar Pacholia, learned
counsel.

With
WRIT PETITION (PIL) NO. 105 OF 2023

Counsel for the Petitioner : None.
Counsel for the State : Mr. Gajendra Tripathi, learned Standing
Counsel.
Counsel for the UTDB : Mr. Sandeep Kothari, learned counsel.
Counsel for Respondent No.5 : Mr. Himanshu Joshi, learned counsel
holding brief of Mr. Prashant Khanna,
learned counsel.

ORDER:

(per Mr. Manoj Kumar Gupta, C.J.)

Miscellaneous Application (IA No.17 of 2025)

1. Heard Ms. Gauri Maulekhi, petitioner in-person,

learned State Counsel and learned counsel for the

respondents.

2. The application is for constitution of a Committee

to oversee the implementation of various directions issued

by this Court in the present PIL on 10.08.2023.

3. By our previous order dated 25.02.2026, we

gave time to learned Chief Standing Counsel to seek

instructions as regards the suggestion made by the

petitioner for constitution of the Committee. Learned State

Counsel has placed on record a supplementary counter-

affidavit, sworn by Under Secretary, Animal Husbandry,

Uttarakhand Government, Dehradun and therein it is stated

that the State Government is agreeable to the suggestion of

the petitioner for constitution of a Committee. In Paragraph

No.4 of the affidavit, the constitution of the proposed

Committee has been suggested as follows:-

• "Commissioner, Garhwal Division- Chairman • District Magistrate- Rudraprayag • District Magistrate- Chamoli • District Magistrate- Uttarkashi • Additional Director Animal Husbandry Garhwal Region • Chief Veterinary Officer- Rudraprayag • Chief Veterinary Officer- Chamoli • Chief Veterinary Officer- Uttarkashi • Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Rudraprayag • Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Chamoli • Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Uttarkashi."

4. The petitioner in-person submits that a State

Level Officer may also be included in the Committee so

that, certain acts which are required to be done at State

Level, are done in an effective manner without delay. By

way of illustration, it is submitted that in respect of

scheduled diseases, notification under Section 6 of the

Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious

Diseases in Animals Act, 2009 (for short hereinafter

referred to as "the Act"), has to be issued by the State

Government. In equine, influenza and glanders are

scheduled diseases. However, last year, as no officer of the

State Government was actively involved in the supervision

and holding of the Yatras, therefore, the notification was not

issued. It is, thus, suggested that an officer of the State

Level be also included.

5. In respect of the apprehension, we would only

observe that the Committee would be empowered to make

suggestions in respect of actions which are required to be

done at the State Level and we hope and trust that, in case,

any recommendation is made by the Committee to the

State Government, it will be taken in its right earnest and

needful would be done.

6. It is also submitted by the petitioner that the

Committee may have representative(s) of the Police

Administration and Pollution Control Board, as they are

important stakeholders in holding of the Yatras.

7. We accept the suggestion and accordingly

include Member Secretary, Uttarakhand Pollution Control

Board and Inspector General of Police, Garhwal and

Kumaon range as Members of the Committee.

8. It is further submitted that the Committee should

also have representation of the District Administration,

Pithoragarh, an officer from the Animal Husbandry

Department, District Pithoragarh and Apar Mukhya Adhikari

Zila Panchayat Pithoragarh to take care of Adi Kailash Yatra,

which originates from District Pithoragarh.

9. In respect of the same, a supplementary

counter-affidavit has been filed on behalf of District

Magistrate Pithoragarh, wherein it is stated that in respect

of Adi Kailash Yatra, Standard Operative Procedure is

already being implemented. It is also stated that animal

health camps are being organized with the help of ITBP

along the yatra route. Further specialized camps will be

organized in collaboration with Brooke Hospital for Equines

under the aegis of horse welfare project.

10. We feel that inclusion of District Administration of

District Pithoragarh, an officer from the Animal Husbandry

Department, District Pithoragarh and Apar Mukhya Adhikari

Zila Panchayat Pithoragarh in the Committee would further

help in resolving any issue, which may arise in holding Adi

Kailash Yatra. Therefore, we also direct inclusion of District

Magistrate, Pithoragarh, Chief Veterinary Officer,

Pithoragarh and the Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat

Pithoragarh in the Committee.

11. We further feel that the petitioner who has done

immense work in the field and is also managing a

temporary infirmary at Phata, Rudraprayag on basis of a

Memorandum of Understanding between her NGO and the

District Administration, be also included in the Committee

as her inputs would be valuable in the matter. We order

accordingly. As such, the constitution of the Committee

would be as follows:-

• Commissioner, Garhwal Division- Chairman • Inspector General of Police, Garhwal Region • Inspector General of Police, Kumaon Region • District Magistrate- Rudraprayag • District Magistrate- Chamoli • District Magistrate- Uttarkashi • District Magistrate- Pithoragarh • Member Secretary, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board • Additional Director Animal Husbandry Garhwal Region • Chief Veterinary Officer- Rudraprayag • Chief Veterinary Officer- Chamoli • Chief Veterinary Officer- Uttarkashi • Chief Veterinary Officer, Pithoragarh • Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Rudraprayag

• Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Chamoli • Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Uttarkashi. • Apar Mukhya Adhikari Zila Panchayat- Pithoragarh

• Gauri Maulekhi, R/o D-4, Chandralok, Rajpur Road, Dehradun."

12. We request the Chairperson of the Committee,

thus constituted, i.e. the Commissioner, Garhwal Division to

convene meeting of the Committee within two weeks from

today and take up all relevant issues as we are informed

that Yatras are to commence from third week of April,

2026.

13. The instant order accordingly disposes of IA

No.17 of 2025.

Misc. App. with Response Affidavit (IA No.20 of 2025)

14. We are informed that an office order has been

issued by the State Government nominating the Project

Division, Irrigation Department, Dehradun as the