On memorandum relating to the firing of the pellet gun by police during ‘Chalo Sansad’ campaign held in the Indian capital city Delhi on July 20 during the protest of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Justice A Ray delivered the judgment of the Supreme Court while asking for a response from the Central Government regarding the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the police for using the gun.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi in a bench issued notice to the Centre, asking it to place on record the existing regulations and parameter fixed for the deployment of pellet gun in the crowd control exercise.
At the hearing, the Supreme Court noticed that the police policy only allows the use of the pellet gun in exceptional circumstances in a graduated response to the management of public disturbance.
If rules are to be challenged, then, Justice Bagchi said, rules that permit the use of the pellet gun are already in place.
Petitioner senior advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for the protesters, contended that the security personnel at the protest alleged to have used kinetic metallic bullets when plastic or rubber bullets should have been used.
Grover testified in court that metallic pellets found at the injured protesters’ bodies and the possibility that the situation could simply be a violent mob justifying such use were investigated.
The petition questions use of excessive force by security forces amid the July 20 demonstration when the protesters alleged security officers resorted to disproportionate manhandling.
It is expected that the issue will be taken up later once the Centre has sent its reply on the SOP and operational guidelines for operation by the law enforcers on the use of pellet guns.