1 CGHC010330672026 2026:CGHC:38012 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 4386 of 2026 1 - Shubham Verma S/o Narendra Verma Aged About 31 Years Permanent R/o Near Gramin Bank, Nawapara, Ambikapur, District- Sarguja, Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner Versus 1 - State of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Department Of Home, Mahanadi Bhawan, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh 2 - Collector- Cum District Magistrate Sarguja Collectorate- Ambikapur District- Sarguja, Chhattisgarh 3 - Superintendent Of Police Sarguja, District- Sarguja, Chhattisgarh 4 - Sub Division Officer (Revenue) Cum Sub Divisional Magistrate Ambikapur, District- Sarguja, Chhattisgarh ... Respondents (Cause title is downloaded from CIS Periphery.) For Petitioner : Mr. Gagan Tiwari, Advocate. For State : Mr. R.K. Gupta, Additional A.G. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad Order on Board 25/08/2026 1. The petitioner has filed the instant petition for following reliefs:- RAVVA UTTEJ KUMAR RAJU Digitally signed by RAVVA UTTEJ KUMAR RAJU Date: 2026.08.25 16:12:16 +0530 2 “a. Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the Respondents and, in particular, the competent licensing authority under Rule 19 read with Schedule. II of the Arms Rules, 2016, to consider and finally decide the Petitioner's application dated 18.08.2025 seeking extension of the area validity of his Form III Arms Licence No. 30/DM/SJA/2021 to Whole of India, in accordance with Rule 19 of the Arms Rules, 2016, within a time- bound period to be fixed by this Hon'ble Court; b. In the alternative, if this Hon'ble Court finds that the Respondent District Magistrate/Collector is not the competent authority to finally decide the Petitioner's request for Whole-of-India area validity under Rule 19(3), issue an appropriate direction requiring the concerned Respondent to forthwith forward/refer the Petitioner's application dated 18.08.2025, along with all reports, documents and recommendations available on record, to the competent licensing authority/State Government, and further direct the said competent authority to consider and decide the same in accordance with law within a time-bound period; c. Direct the Respondents to communicate the final decision taken upon the Petitioner's application to the Petitioner forthwith upon such decision being made; d. Grant such other relief(s), direction(s) or order(s) as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the interest of justice, equity and good conscience.10.” 2. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner had applied for extension of the area validity of his Form III Arms Licence bearing No. 30/DM/SJA/2021 to the whole of India. It is submitted that the said application was duly filed before the competent authority on 18.08.2025 and the same is pending for consideration. He, therefore, submits that the concerned 3 District Magistrate/Collector, Surguja (C.G.), may kindly be directed to consider and decide the petitioner's application expeditiously, in accordance with law. 3. Per contra, learned counsel appearing for the State submits that there may be valid and justifiable reasons on the part of the competent authority for not having decided the petitioner's application dated 18.08.2025 till date. It is, therefore, submitted that the concerned authority may be permitted to examine the application and pass an appropriate order strictly in accordance with the provisions of law and on its own merits. 4. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and having considered the submissions advanced, this Court is of the considered view that the grievance of the petitioner is confined to the non-consideration of his application dated 18.08.2025 seeking extension of the area validity of his Form III Arms Licence No. 30/DM/SJA/2021 to the whole of India. Since the said application is stated to be pending before the competent authority, no useful purpose would be served by keeping the matter pending before this Court. Accordingly, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the petitioner's claim, the concerned District Magistrate/Collector, Surguja (C.G.), is directed to consider the petitioner's application dated 18.08.2025 and take an appropriate decision thereon, strictly in accordance with law, expeditiously, preferably within a period of 45 days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that this Court has not 4 expressed any opinion on the merits of the petitioner's claim. The competent authority shall independently consider the application and pass a reasoned and appropriate order in accordance with law. 5. With this observation and direction, this petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (Amitendra Kishore Prasad) Judge U.K. Raju