Lucknow, Feb 6 (IANS): The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has declined to issue directions to Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) to kill birds and animals that have become nuisance in the state capital.

Dismissing the plea, the bench held: "Such a direction cannot be issued by the Court as there is no provision which obliges the LMC to kill innocent animals."

The bench of Justices Ramesh Sinha and Subhash Vidyarthi passed the order on a PIL moved by a local lawyer Manoj Dubey.

Arguing for the petitioner, senior advocate Sudeep Seth had sought issuance of a direction for LMC to discharge the duty of eliminating birds, animals, strays and ownerless dogs causing nuisance in Lucknow.

The bench declined to issue any such direction.

Welcoming the verdict, animal rights activist Kamna Pandey said: "It is a landmark verdict. It is significant and cuts through the current motivated campaign against dogs seeking to create an atmosphere of hate and hostility towards man's best friend. It restores balance and returns good sense to the prevailing debate."