Div Com Jammu reviews status of renewal of arm licences with DMs

Jammu: Taking cognizance of grievances received from ex servicemen & many individuals regarding difficulties being faced by them in the renewal of their Arms Licenses, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer Thursday chaired a meeting of the District Magistrates(DM)s of Jammu Division.
The Div Com discussed in detail various issues like Arms Licences whose renewal is withheld for not being made online on NDAL portal, Arms Licences whose renewal is withheld in view of Record being seized/ in custody of investigation agencies, Arms Licences wherein Licences have expired and legal heir has applied for transfer/ fresh issuance and other related issues.
The Div Com instructed the District Magistrates to recommend all the cases whose renewal is withheld for not being made online on NDAL portal to the Home Department, so that necessary instructions can be sought from the MHA, GoI.
Regarding the cases wherein Licences have expired and legal heir have applied for transfer/fresh issuance, the Divisional Commissioner instructed the DMs to put forth the details to his office, so that necessary directions can be sought from the Home Department.
It was observed by the Div Com that certain districts are renewing the genuinely issued licenses, issued during the period for which the record has been seized by the investigation agencies, on the basis of available scanned data and information on NDAL; however certain districts have kept the renewal process for such cases on hold. The Divisional Commissioner accordingly directed the Addl Secretary, Home Dept attending the said meeting to issue necessary instructions from the Government in the matter, to avoid any difficulty in future and not to have discrepancy in handling such renewal applications by the districts after due verification as provided for in the Arms Rules, 2016.
The District Magistrates of Kathua, Udhampur also raised the issue of giving clarification regarding the fate of such expired licenses which were issued decades back by the concerned Tehsildars/SDMs & the deposition of such weapons thereof. The Div Com advised the DM’s to share the data of such old cases for further necessary action.
It may be recalled that vide notification dated 2018, the Home Department has already imposed an embargo on issuing fresh Arms Licenses by the District Magistrates in view of the ongoing investigations.
The meeting was attended by Additional Commissioner with Div Com Jammu, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Attorney while Additional Secretary Home department J&K, All District Magistrates alongwith Additional District Magistrates participated in the meeting through video conferencing.