Ashu Shukla Vs State of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Secy. Home Deptt. U.P. Lko. and 3 Others — Allahabad HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Ashu Shukla Vs State of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Secy. Home Deptt. U.P. Lko. and 3 Others — Allahabad HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Mandamus-direction to the District Magistrate, Lucknow (respondent No. 2) to consider and pass appropriate order on the petitioner's reminder application dated 23.06.2025, strictly in accordance with law, within a maximum period of three months from production of a certified copy of the order, unless there is any legal impediment.

Issue for consideration

Whether the District Magistrate/Collector, Lucknow should be directed by mandamus to consider and decide the petitioner's pending application for grant of an arms licence (Pistol 32 Bore), filed on 19.04.2025 and followed by a reminder dated 23.06.2025.

Court's answer

Since the petitioner's application dated 23.06.2025 was already pending before the District Magistrate, Lucknow, no useful purpose would be served in keeping the petition pending; the Court disposed of it at the admission stage itself.

Ratio / Principle

The District Magistrate, Lucknow (respondent No. 2) is directed to consider and pass appropriate order on the petitioner's application dated 23.06.2025 strictly in accordance with law, within a maximum period of three months from production of a certified copy of the order, unless there is any legal impediment.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Arms Licence - Pendency - Writ petition (WRIT - C No. 10309 of 2025) filed by Ashu Shukla, a lawyer pleading threat perception, seeking mandamus to the Collector/Ziladhikari, District Lucknow to decide his application for a Pistol 32 Bore arms licence filed on 19.04.2025, with a reminder dated 23.06.2025 (Annexure No. 7) also unattended - Held: since the application dated 23.06.2025 was pending, no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petition alive; petition disposed of at the admission stage - District Magistrate, Lucknow (respondent No. 2) directed to consider and pass appropriate order on the application dated 23.06.2025, strictly in accordance with law, within a maximum of three months from production of a certified copy of the order, unless there is any legal impediment (Syed Qamar Hasan Rizvi, J.; November 4, 2025).

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD LUCKNOW

WRIT - C No. - 10309 of 2025

Ashu Shukla

.....Petitioner(s)

Versus

State Of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Secy. Home Deptt. U.P. Lko. And 3 Others .....Respondent(s) Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Ravi Shanker Singh, Aniket Kumar, Kirti Veer Singh, Vaibhav Pandey Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C.

Court No. - 20

HON'BLE SYED QAMAR HASAN RIZVI, J.

Heard Sri Kirti Veer Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Arun Kumar Singh, learned Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the State-respondents.

By means of this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for the following relief:

"Wherefore, the petitioner above named most respectfully prayed before this Hon'ble Court to issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding to the opposite party No. 2 to consider and decide form/application of grant of Arm License in nature of Pistol 32 Bore, which is pending since 19/04/2025 before the opposite party No. 2 i.e. the Collector/ Ziladhikari, District- Lucknow."

The submission of learned counsel for the petitioner is that the petitioner is a lawyer by profession and is dealing with the cases where there is threat to his life. He submits that the petitioner has applied for Arms License on 19.04.2025 and completed all the formalities that are required under the prescribed Rules and also moved a reminder application dated 23.06.2025 but the concerned authority has not considered his application(s), till date.

Learned counsel for the petitioner has drawn attention of this Court to the application dated 23.06.2025 filed by the petitioner as reminder, before the District Magistrate, Lucknow, as contained in Annexure No. 7 to the present writ petition. He submits that the said application was filed in the month of June, 2025 but the concerned authority has not paid any heed to the prayer made by the petitioner in the said application.

Looking into the fact that the petitioner has already moved the

WRIC No. 10309 of 2025

2

applications dated 23.06.2025 before the District Magistrate, Lucknow, which is pending for consideration, this Court is of the considered view that no useful purpose would be served to keep this petition pending, therefore, the same is being disposed of at the admission stage itself.

Accordingly, it is directed to the District Magistrate, Lucknow (respondent No. 2) to consider and pass appropriate order on the aforesaid application of the petitioner dated 23.06.2025, strictly in accordance with law, within a maximum period of three months from the date a certified copy of this order is produced before him, unless there is any legal impediment.

With the aforesaid observation and direction, the writ petition is disposed of.

(Syed Qamar Hasan Rizvi,J.)

November 4, 2025 (Manoj K.)

Digitally signed by :- MANOJ KUMAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench