Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 18: The government, through an order, has said that except the district deputy commissioners, no other officials including tahsildars of taluks or revenue divisions have the power to issue arms licences including guns.

The order, which has been dispatched to all the tahsildars and special tahsildars functioning in Dakshina Kannada district, has stressed that other than the deputy commissioner of the district, no other official is vested with the said power under Arms Act.

The order says that it has been frequently observed that tahsildars in Dakshina Kannada district have been issuing gun licences for protection of crops from attack by wild animals without properly following the rules. "As the district has been witnessing communal tensions since the last some years, the deputy commissioner has been going through all the details properly and issuing arms licences only in cases where it is found to be extremely necessary. During the last two years, only 25 licences were issued by the deputy commissioner under all heads, whereas tahsildars have granted over 600 licences. The order has observed that on the face of it, it is clear that licences are being issued indiscriminately.

As per the fresh order, all the tahsildars in the district have been instructed to stop issuing gun licences. The tahsildars have been asked to properly verify arms licence applications received from December 9 onward in tune with legal provisions, and only if the licences for arms are found to be unavoidable, the same have to be forwarded with all the records and clear recommendation in the form of proposals to the deputy commissioner of the district.