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Synopsis

A division bench of the Supreme Court on Monday noted that the use of unlicensed firearms should be removed ruthlessly.

The bench comprising Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna further opined that because firearms are so widely available, the number of cases of illegal possession had reached to 25,000 and there was an ongoing increase.

Notably, last month, the apex court had registered a suo moto case against the use of unlicensed firearms in the country to address and curb significant illegal possession of firearms.

When the State requested for time in the matter yesterday, the bench agreed to keep the case today to appoint an Amicus Curiae in this matter. 

Court further noted that unlike in the US constitution, where the right to bear arms is a fundamental right, no such right has been conferred on anyone under the Indian Constitution by the wisdom of our founding fathers,

"It is of the utmost importance to preserve the lives of all and for that recourse is to be made to stop unlicensed firearms in particular," the division bench further noted.

During the last hearing, Justice BV Nagarathna had said that "To use knives and guns, is a feudal mindset."

Case Title: Rajendra Singh by Courts Motion vs. The State of Uttar Pradesh