The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has ruled that police cannot confiscate licensed firearms without valid reasons during elections.
Justice Abdul Moin ordered district captains and magistrates to accept firearms from license holders only for legitimate purposes. The decision came in response to a petition by five individuals, including Ravi Shankar Tiwari of Amethi, regarding depositing licensed arms for the Lok Sabha polls.
Despite a previous ruling on February 25, 2022, authorities have frequently failed to adhere to the order, prompting the court to issue a warning of potential action against negligent officials in the future. The Lok Sabha elections, comprising 543 seats, will be conducted in seven phases starting April 19, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.
