Supreme Court Refuses Blanket Ban on Pellet Guns in Protests

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to issue an immediate blanket ban on pellet guns used during crowd control, ruling that police regulations currently permit their deployment unless the specific statutory provisions are challenged and declared unconstitutional under Article 21.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Union Government and the Inspector General of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) on petitions seeking to ban metallic kinetic projectiles. However, the bench clarified that court intervention cannot bypass existing police force regulations governing graded responses.

"Prayers are not to use pellet guns. In exceptional cases, police regulations permit the use of pellet guns. If you are interested in phasing out pellet guns, you will have to challenge that very provision as ultra vires to Article 21," Justice Bagchi observed during the hearing.

Ammunition Logs Preserved

While declining a blanket ban, the apex court ordered the Centre and police authorities to preserve all ammunition logbooks of RAF personnel deployed at Delhi's Jantar Mantar during the July 20 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Parliament march. The direction follows growing legal scrutiny after CRPF internal reviews revealed RAF personnel discharged metallic pellet cartridges during the demonstration.

The petitions were brought by former Intelligence Bureau Special Director Yashovardhan Azad alongside two injured demonstrators, including 19-year-old Delhi University student Sahil Lochab, who suffered severe ocular trauma. Senior advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the petitioners, argued that Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) guidelines do not prescribe metallic pellets for routine civilian crowd control.

Justice Bagchi noted that BPRD documents function as advisory proposals, while formal police rules retain graded force options up to lethal ammunition. "Allowing the use of bullets and no use of pellets cannot be on the same plane," the bench remarked, emphasizing that petitioners must challenge the underlying rule enabling pellet munitions.

Medical & Political Fallout

Medical experts warned Thursday that metallic pellet wounds cause permanent disability, optic nerve destruction, and post-traumatic stress disorder when fired into dense crowds. Forensic experts cited severe risks of facial paralysis and tissue destruction at close firing ranges.

The court's observations coincide with Delhi Home Department issuing formal instructions to halt adverse legal proceedings against peaceful CJP protesters, while maintaining exceptions for individuals with prior criminal records.