India Supreme Court rejects blanket ban on pellet guns

The Supreme Court of India, in a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, ruled that pellet guns may continue to be used by security agencies in extraordinary situations as permitted by the Bureau of Police Research and Development advisory. The court rejected a petition seeking an outright ban, describing the request as vague, and noted that allegations of misuse must be examined case‑by‑case. It took note of complaints arising from protests over the NEET paper leak and the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” march organised by the Cockroach Janata Party, where victims Prashant Kumar Singh and Sheikh Irshad Mansoori were injured. The Court ordered the Centre to preserve the Rapid Action Force ammunition log from Jantar Mantar, issued notices to the Centre and the RAF Inspector General, and directed that the victims receive appropriate medical treatment. Petitioners, including former information commissioner Yashovardhan Azad, may still challenge the provision as ultra vires to Article 21.