Two officers of Indian administrative services cadre, both posted as district magistrate of Agra faces trouble after lok Ayukt get a case registered against them for pushing an arms license application under the carpets and even not giving appropriate answer during the initial probe.
The duo were now served notice that why not action should be initiated against them for not performing their duties. They were given a fortnight time for the reply after which necessary proceedings should be made against them. Reports said that lokayukt (Retd)justice NK Mehrotra received a complaint from a resident of Agra that he had applied for arms license and the local police and intelligence department also gave him No-Objection-Certificate for the purpose but the districts magistrates—Pankar Kumar and later Zahur B Zaidi, pushed his application under the carpet and were not disposing it. Reports said that when Mehrotra sought a reply on the issue, both the officers first ignored it and later informed that the application was not disposed as it was the prerogative of the DM to give license or not.
According to Mehrotra, he then sought a policy in this regard and found that under the public grievances redressal policy of the government, the DM has discretion to give license or to refuse but it was mandatory for him to dispose of the application within 90-days. Mehrotra claimed that in the said case, the application was not disposed off even after passing of more then a year and that he was also informed that there are many other similar cases so he found it to be a fit case of mis-governance on part of the two DMs and they deserved action. He said that some judgement of Apex Court in this regard also advocate action against the officials so he get a case registered against both the DMs and gave them 15-days time to reply on the issue after which he would take appropriate action.