Rajesh Kumar Kedia v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.7664 of 2025 ====================================================== Rajesh Kumar Kedia Son of Late Ratan Lal Kedia, resident of Mane Road, Kediya Lane Gopalganj, Manikpur, P.S. and P.O.- Gopalganj, District - Gopalganj.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Department of Home Affairs, Government of Bihar, Patna.

2.

The Principal Secretary, Department of Home Affairs, Government of Bihar, Patna.

3.

The Director General of Police, Patna, Bihar. 4.

The District Magistrate, Gopalganj.

5.

The Superintendent of Police, Gopalganj.

6.

The District Arms Magistrate, Gopalganj.

7.

The Divisional Commissioner Saran at Chapra.

... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Mukund Kumar, Advocate For the State Res.

:

Mr. K.P. Gupta, GP-10 Mr. Satya Vrat, A.C. to G.P.-(10) ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL KUMAR SINHA ORAL ORDER 16-02-2026 Heard learned counsel for the parties concerned.

2. The petitioner has filed the present writ application for direction to respondent nos. 4 and 6, namely the Licensing Authority-cum-District Magistrate, Gopalganj, to decide the application of the petitioner for grant/transfer of the license of Kedia Gun House bearing License No. 04/81 in favour of the petitioner.

3. The father of the petitioner was a license holder for

Patna High Court CWJC No.7664 of 2025(2) dt.16-02-2026 2/3 running a gun house in the name and style of Kedia Gun House having License No. 04/81 arising out of Case No. 125/80. During his lifetime, the license was renewed on several occasions, and the last renewal in his favour was made on 05.12.2016. The petitioner's father died on 06.04.2017, and the death certificate has been annexed as Annexure-2 to the writ application. After his death, the petitioner, being his legal heir, filed an application before the Licensing Authority (respondent no. 4) for transfer of the said license in his name in terms of Rule 25 of the Arms Rules, 2016, which dictates that a nominated legal heir can inherit the weapon if eligibility conditions are met.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that respondent no. 4, vide Letter No. 866 dated 28.08.2017, directed the petitioner to remove certain deficiencies in the application. In compliance thereof, the petitioner submitted Form A-8 (Part I) along with all required documents. The petitioner's mother filed an affidavit granting no objection for issuance of the license in his favour. The petitioner also submitted no objection certificates (NOC) from all other legal heirs of his late father, namely, Ratan Lal Kedia, and furnished a character certificate as required by respondent no. 4.

Patna High Court CWJC No.7664 of 2025(2) dt.16-02-2026 3/3

5. Learned counsel for the State submits that the Licensing Authority may be directed to dispose the application for transfer of the license in favour of the petitioner in accordance with law.

6. Having regard to the submissions made by the parties and taking into consideration the nature of prayer made in the writ application and the fact that the petitioner's application for grant/transfer of licence, as the legal heir of the erstwhile licensee, has been pending since 2017, this Court finds it appropriate to issue a direction for its expeditious disposal.

7. Accordingly, respondent nos. 4 and 6, are directed to take a final decision on the petitioner's application within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order, in accordance with law.

8. Accordingly, the present writ application stands disposed of with aforesaid observation and direction. (Anil Kumar Sinha, J) Siwani/- U