High Court Overturns Gun Licence Cancellation

The Allahabad High Court overturned a district magistrate's decision to cancel an individual's gun licence due to lack of evidence under the Arms Act. The judgement cited failure to prove any rule violations required for such action, allowing the petitioner to retain his firearm.

The Allahabad High Court has overturned a district magistrate's order to cancel a man's gun licence, citing a lack of evidence of any violations under the Arms Act. The decision highlights the importance of adhering to Rule 32 before cancelling a firearm licence.

Yogendra Kumar, whose revolver licence was suspended in 2020, had petitioned the court after his appeals were rejected. Justice Kunal Ravi Singh ruled that the authorities did not meet the 'essential ingredients' for licence cancellation, leading to the court's decision to set aside the previous order.

The court emphasized that Rule 32 requires adjudicating authorities to confirm any rule breaches before taking such action. The absence of evidence supporting the DM's decision made the cancellation and weapon seizure unjustified, according to the court's November 19 ruling.

(With inputs from agencies.)