IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.W.P. No. 1701 of 2008 Date of Decision: February 5, 2008 Jeet Singh …Petitioner Versus Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate, Sirsa. …Respondent CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M. KUMAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE T.P.S. MANN Present: Mr. Sanjiv Gupta, Advocate, for the petitioner. M.M. KUMAR, J. The prayer made by the petitioner in the instant petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution is for quashing order dated 13.7.2006 (P-4), whereby the arm licence issued to the petitioner has been suspended by invoking the provisions of Section 17(3)(b) of the Arms Act, 1959 (for brevity, ‘the Act’). A perusal of the impugned order shows that the Superintendent of Police, Sirsa, had recommended suspension of Arm Licence No. 6394/DM/SSA, belonging to the petitioner on the ground that case bearing No. 389, dated 29.10.2005, under Section 382 IPC, registered at Police Station Sadar Fatehabad, was pending and the renewal of the licence was declined. The petitioner was asked to deposit the arm to some Arms Seller or concerned Police Station C.W.P. No. 1701 of 2008 within 24 hours of the issuance of order dated 13.7.2006. His explanation was called within 15 days from the date of issuance of notice as to why the arm licence should not be cancelled under Section 17(3)(b) of the Act. The petitioner has filed reply on 8.8.2006 (P-5). However, the matter is pending before the District Magistrate, Sirsa, for adjudication. Notice of motion. Ms. Pallika Monga, AAG, Haryana, who is present in the Court, accepts notice on our asking. A complete paper book has been handed over to her. Without going into the merit of the controversy at this stage and without expressing any opinion thereon, we are of the considered view that the District Magistrate, Sirsa, should decide the matter at the earliest date, as has been urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner. The matter is pending before him since 8.8.2006 and the same should have been decided by now. In view of the above, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the District Magistrate, Sirsa, to dispose of the matter concerning the petitioner in respect of his arm licence, expeditiously preferably within a period of two months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. (M.M. KUMAR) JUDGE (T.P.S. MANN) 2 C.W.P. No. 1701 of 2008 February 5, 2008 JUDGE Pkapoor 3