Now procuring a firearm licence may not be as tough as it used to be. Delhi High Court on Monday, in a significant judgement, held that a person seeking a gun licence need not specify a threat or a particular reason behind it.
The order came on a petition filed against Delhi Police for denying licence to a man because he could not explain a specific threat to him. The Court also observed in the order that police usually “arrives at the scene after a crime has been committed” and a situation requiring a gun for safety cannot always be anticipated.
Justice VK Jain said, “A person cannot be denied a gun licence solely on the ground that there is no specific threat to him or his family members.” The Court also remarked that it is the applicant’s own perception of threat to his life and property which needs to be considered and not of the licensing Authority.
“It is not possible for a police official to be present everywhere and every time to protect the citizens and, in fact, it happens quite often that the police arrive at the scene only after the crime is already committed,” the Court remarked.
The petitioner Vinod Kumar had alleged that his application for acquiring arm’s licence was rejected by the Delhi Police licensing Authority in 2011 and later by the then lieutenant Governor in 2012, on the ground that he was not under a specific threat.