High Court Intercedes in Shooting Federation's License Fiasco

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has questioned the cancellation of the National Rifle Association of India's license, amid complaints from shooters about restricted access to ammunition. An interim order allows the release of 1,000 cartridges per shooter as the court seeks clarity from the central government.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday demanded clarification from the Centre regarding the status of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), following notice from the federation's counsel that its license had been revoked. This issue surfaced when shooters, including Ibrahim Javed Khan, approached the court for access to ammunition for upcoming competitions.

Hearing the petitions, Justice Vishal Mishra granted temporary relief, permitting the issue of 1,000 cartridges to each shooter. The court directed the Union Home Ministry to be involved, seeking clarity on sport category weapon use and the shooters' entitlement to ammunition quantities.

In response, NRAI Secretary-General Pawankumar Singh expressed surprise over these developments, indicating ongoing legal reviews. He highlighted the importance of shooting in India's sports priorities, confirming discussions with the government to increase ammunition quotas to match the exponentially growing number of athletes in the sport.

(With inputs from agencies.)