Supreme Court: No blanket ban on pellet guns for crowd control
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Polity
Why in news
The Supreme Court declined to impose a blanket ban on pellet guns for crowd control while hearing a petition related to injuries from pellet guns during student protests at Jantar Mantar on July 20. The court directed the Delhi government to provide treatment to injured protesters and ordered preservation of ammunition logs for investigation. It also emphasized the need for police to have adequate safety gear and noted that peaceful protests can sometimes be hijacked by miscreants.
Background
Pellet guns are used by police for crowd dispersal as part of a graded response, with rubber pellets followed by metallic pellets in extreme situations. The petition sought a ban on their use after injuries during a protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20, 2026. The court noted that police regulations permit use of pellet guns in exceptional circumstances and that bullets are allowed in extreme situations, so a blanket ban on pellet guns is not feasible without challenging the regulations.
Key facts
Supreme Court directed Delhi government to provide treatment to protesters injured by pellet guns during July 20 protests at Jantar Mantar.
Court declined to impose blanket ban on pellet guns, calling the plea vague.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that police regulations permit pellet guns in exceptional circumstances and bullets in extreme situations.
Court ordered preservation of ammunition logbook of Rapid Action Force (RAF) for effective investigation.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured that all documents related to police excesses and violence at the protest site would be preserved.
Bench reiterated that peaceful protests can be hijacked by miscreants, requiring graded police response.
Court emphasized equipping police with adequate safety gear.
Petitioners included Sheikh Irshad Mansoori, Prashant Kumar Singh, and former IPS officer Yashovardhan Azad.
Advocate Vrinda Grover appeared for petitioners; she agreed to amend prayer to seek guidelines for crowd dispersal action.
Justice Bagchi recalled a Calcutta High Court order quashing a colonial-era regulation asking police to fire at chests instead of legs.
Prelims pointers
- Supreme Court bench: Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.
- Rapid Action Force (RAF) – a specialized force of CRPF for riot control.
- Jantar Mantar – a designated protest site in New Delhi.
- Graded response: use of rubber pellets, then metallic pellets, then bullets in extreme situations.
- Colonial-era police regulation: firing at chests instead of legs to save ammunition (quashed by Calcutta HC).
Mains angles
- GS2 Polity: Role of judiciary in balancing public order and fundamental rights (right to protest vs. police powers).
- GS3 Internal Security: Crowd control measures, use of non-lethal weapons, and police reforms.
- GS2 Human Rights: Use of pellet guns and injuries to protesters; compensation and accountability.
- GS2 Polity: Doctrine of proportionality in police action; guidelines for crowd dispersal.