Chinese Manjha Being Sold Online? Allahabad High Court Asks UP Govt To Examine Issue

A Bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla is presently hearing a 2018 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed by petitioner-in-person Moti Lal Yadav, along with two connected PILs filed by one Rajjan Khan, praying for a strict ban on the import, sale and use of the 'Chinese Manjha' across Uttar Pradesh.

On Monday, the bench recorded in its order that it had been informed that Chinese Manja was available through online platforms and that a newspaper report had also highlighted the issue.

"It is informed that Chinese Manja is now available online and there is a newspaper report to this effect. Let learned counsel for the opposite parties look into this aspect of the matter also," the Court observed.

The development comes weeks after the Uttar Pradesh Government informed the High Court that it will soon be coming up with a strict Law to prevent the manufacture, sale and use of lethal 'Chinese Manjha', a manjha laced with glass particles used for kite flying.

In May 2026, the State submitted that compensation for victims is also being considered under this new law, which is proposed to be named the UP Lethal Manjha (Prohibition of Manufacture, Sale and Use) Act.

On Monday, the Court took on record a short counter-affidavit filed on behalf of one of the opposite parties, as well as supplementary counter-affidavits filed by the applicant and another respondent.

It also directed the State's counsel to furnish copies of the counter affidavit to all the petitioners and the intervenor, while permitting the petitioners to file their response.

Several senior State officials, including the Director General of Police, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the Principal Secretary (State Tax), the Principal Secretary (Environment) and the Additional Chief Secretary, Infrastructure & Industrial Development, participated in the hearing through video conferencing.