THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE V.ESWARAIAH WRIT PETITION No :9483 of 2007 DATED:01-05-2007 BETWEEN: M.A.Ahad Qureshi. ..... PETITIONER AND The Government of A.P., Rep., by its Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department-cum-Appellate Authority under the Arms Act, 1959, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad. .....RESPONDENT ORDER: Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner as well as the learned Government Pleader for Home appearing for the respondent. 2. Petitioner seeks a writ of mandamus declaring the action of the respondent in not disposing of the Statutory Appeal filed by the petitioner on 16-11-2006 under Section 18 of the Arms Act, 1959 ( for brevity, ‘the Act’), as illegal and arbitrary. 3. It is stated that petitioner filed an application, dated 04-02-2006, for grant of arms licence of NPB revolver/pistol for self-protection and the said application has been considered keeping in view the directions of this Court in W.P.No.17386 of 2006 and the same has been rejected vide Memo No.L&O/A1/732/06, dated 20-10-2006, by the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City, on the ground that there is no threat to the applicant from any quarter at present necessitating possession of a weapon and it is not desirable to grant arms licence to the applicant as it would not be in the interest of public safety, peace and security, in view of existing security scenario. Aggrieved thereby, petitioner filed an appeal before the respondent herein on 16-11-2006 under Section 18 of the Act and the same is pending. 4. Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, 1st respondent is directed to consider and dispose of the said appeal of the petitioner, pending if any, as expeditiously as possible in accordance with law. 5. Accordingly, Writ Petition is disposed of. No order as to costs. __________________ V.ESWARAIAH,J 01st May, 2007. Tsy