IMRAN KHAN Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed against the order dtd. 14/12/2020 passed by respondent No.1 in case No. F 16-507/2013/B-1/two, by which the application for renewal of Arms Dealers Licence has been rejected on the ground that it was filed belatedly by five days.

(2.) It is the case of petitioner that he is an Arms Dealer License holder who was carrying on the business of sale and purchase of arms and ammunition. The Arm Dealers Licence issued to the petitioner was valid up to 31/12/2018. However, the petitioner could not make an application for renewal of the said Arms Licence within a period 60 days prior to expiry of Arms Dealer Licence and made an application for renewal on 5/11/2018 i.e. during the subsisting of licence but not prior to 60 days from the date of expiry of the Arms Dealer Licence.

(3.) Since the respondent/competent authority was sitting over the said application, therefore, the petitioner filed a writ petition before this Court which was registered as W.P No.4371/2020 and by order dtd. 27/5/2020, the competent authority was directed to decide the application for renewal of the Arms Dealer Licence within a period of three months from the date of receipt of certified copy of the said order. When the respondents did not decide the application for renewal, therefore, the petitioner filed a contempt petition before this Court which was registered as Conc No.1421/2020, and accordingly, by order dtd. 3/9/2020, this Court extended the time for deciding the application for renewal of Arms Dealer Licence.