IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.2061 of 2009 SANTOSH KUMAR SINGH & ORS Versus THE STATE OF BIHAR & ORS ----------- 2 13/2/2009 Heard counsel for the petitioners and counsel for the State. There is no dispute that under the provisions of Arms Act the District Magistrate being the Licensing authority has statutory duty to consider and decide the issue for grant of license. From Annexure-5 filed today along with the supplementary affidavit it would appear that after such application was filed by petitioner nos. 1 and 2 the matter was sent for verification and process has been undertaken for considering the matter relating to grant of license of petitioner no. 2. As with regard to the cases of petitioner nos. 1, 3 and 4, Counsel for the State points out that such application has been filed only in the month of November and December, 2008. Whatever be the fact of such application, the District Magistrate is expected to take a final decision in accordance with law in keeping the provisions of Arms Act for grant of 2 license of them, if they have approached for this purpose, within a reasonable period. That being so, this Court directs the District Magistrate, Kaimur to consider and take final decision for grant of license in favour of the petitioners within a period of four months from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order. With the above observation and direction this application is disposed of. (Mihir Kumar Jha, J.) Abhay Kumar