Allahabad High Court Pulls Up DMs Over Delays in Arms Licence Cases, Warns of Rising Court Burden

The Allahabad High Court has expressed strong displeasure over delays in the disposal of arms licence applications, observing that District Magistrates (DMs) are failing to follow government directives properly.

The court remarked that such administrative negligence is becoming one of the reasons behind the increasing number of cases reaching the judiciary.

The sharp observations came during the hearing of a petition related to an arms licence matter.

The bench noted that despite clear instructions issued by the state government, officials were not taking timely decisions on applications, forcing citizens to approach the courts for relief.

The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justice Prakash Padia and Justice Alok Mathur.

During the proceedings, the court directed that the petition filed by advocate Tauqeer Jahangir Munna be disposed of within six weeks.

According to the petitioner, an application for a fresh arms licence had been submitted in February 2025, but the District Magistrate had still not taken a final decision on it.

The petitioner argued that the continued delay violated administrative guidelines issued by the government.

The court referred to the provisions of the Arms Act and related rules, stating that officials cannot ignore timelines fixed for the disposal of such applications.

It stressed that unnecessary delays by district authorities are creating avoidable litigation and placing an additional burden on the courts.

The bench also pointed out that the state government had already issued a directive on March 10, 2025, instructing authorities to process and decide arms licence applications within a fixed period.

Despite this, several cases were reportedly pending without proper action.

Observing that applications are required to be disposed of within six months, the High Court said authorities must strictly follow the timelines prescribed under the law and government orders.

The court further directed that if any applicant’s grievance had already been addressed or the matter resolved during the process, the concerned petitioner should be informed immediately.

The observations made by the High Court once again underline the judiciary’s concern over administrative delays and the growing pressure on courts caused by pending government decisions.