New Delhi, July 31: The Supreme Court observed that pellet guns cannot be prohibited as long as the existing guidelines permit security forces to use them for crowd control in exceptional situations. However, the Court clarified that allegations of misuse in any particular incident can be examined separately.
A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan was hearing a petition challenging the use of metallic pellet guns during the July 20 student protests over the NEET paper leak in Delhi. The Court directed the Centre to preserve the ammunition records of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) deployed at Jantar Mantar.
The Bench noted that the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) guidelines authorize the use of pellet guns in exceptional circumstances. It said a complete ban cannot be ordered unless the existing rules permitting their use are themselves challenged.
The Court also issued notices to the Centre and the Inspector General of the RAF on the petition filed by former Central Information Commissioner and retired IPS officer Yashovardhan Azad along with two injured protesters. It directed the Delhi government to ensure proper medical treatment for those who sustained pellet injuries during the protest.
During the hearing, the petitioners argued that metallic pellet guns caused serious injuries and claimed there was no Delhi Police standing order authorising their use. They urged the Centre to place any such regulations on record. The Court said it was willing to examine whether pellet guns were used lawfully in the July 20 protest and whether the action was justified under the prescribed guidelines.
The petition seeks a nationwide ban on metallic pellet ammunition for crowd control, alleging that such weapons pose a high risk of severe injuries, including eye damage, and are inconsistent with constitutional protections governing the use of force during peaceful assemblies.
