The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench took a strict stance on the issue of Chinese manjha in Uttar Pradesh during a hearing on Tuesday. The UP government informed the court that it is drafting a new law to curb the manufacture, sale and use of dangerous kite strings.
The proposed legislation may be named the Uttar Pradesh Deadly Manjha (Manufacturing, Sale and Use Prohibition) Act. The government also told the court that compensation would be provided to people affected by Chinese manjha incidents.
The division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjeev Shukla said the matter was directly linked to the right to life and stressed that mere paperwork would not be enough, visible action on the ground was necessary. The next hearing has been scheduled for July 13, 2026.
Strict ban planned on Chinese and glass-coated manjha
The state government said the proposed law aims to impose a strict ban on Chinese manjha and glass-coated kite strings. At present, the proposal is in the drafting and deliberation stage. The sale of Chinese kite string is already completely banned in Uttar Pradesh, but authorities admitted that it continues to be sold illegally.
The court was informed that while traditional Indian kite strings are made from normal thread, Chinese manjha is manufactured using nylon mixed with metallic, glass and iron powder to make it sharper and stronger. Due to the nylon material, the string does not snap easily during kite fights and is sharp enough to slit throats.
Regarding deaths linked to Chinese manjha, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said on February 5 that murder charges would now be filed in such cases.
Home Department issues fresh order, DGP circulates instructions
The government informed the court that the Home Department issued a fresh government order on February 9, 2026, regarding action against Chinese manjha. Following this, the Director General of Police issued a circular on February 10 directing strict enforcement measures. A high-level committee was also formed on April 17 to monitor the issue.
The government said multiple departments, including State Tax, Industrial Development, Home and Environment, were involved in tackling the problem. Amendments to the Police Act are also under consideration and a special enforcement campaign was recently launched.
PIL filed in 2018
The matter stems from a public interest litigation filed in 2018 by Motilal Yadav and Rajjan Khan seeking a ban on Chinese manjha. After hearing the state government’s submissions, the High Court directed authorities to speed up deliberations on the proposed law and take concrete steps before the next hearing.
The court observed that continuous and regular efforts were needed to stop the illegal and dangerous trade and stressed the importance of spreading awareness about the harmful effects of Chinese manjha.
Traders allege harassment during crackdown
During the hearing, advocate Syed Mohammad Haider Rizvi, representing traders selling kites and traditional manjha, told the court that safe and traditional kite materials were also being seized during drives against Chinese manjha. He alleged that traders were being harassed in the name of enforcement action.
The High Court directed the government to ensure that action is taken only against illegal and dangerous manjha and that legitimate businesses are not targeted.
Pollution Control Board asked to explain role
The court also sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board regarding its role in the matter. The board has been directed to file an affidavit explaining what steps it is taking to address the issue.
Court suggests identifying ‘hotspot areas’
The High Court observed that every city has certain areas where kite flying is more common. It suggested that such hotspot areas should be identified and placed under special surveillance to curb the sale and use of illegal manjha effectively.
Senior officials ordered to appear on July 13
The next hearing in the case will take place on July 13, 2026. Senior officials from the Home Department, State Tax Department, Environment Department and the DGP’s office have been directed to appear before the court through video conferencing and submit details of the action taken so far.
