BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court upheld the constitutional validity and legality of the exemption granted to Kodavas from the requirement to obtain a license to carry and possess firearms, as required under the provisions of Indian Arms Act.
Pronouncing the judgement to that effect on Wednesday, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum said that they have rightly been granted exemption for a period of 10 years and it is not the case that they have been granted exemption indefinitely.
“Exemption granted is subject to certain terms and conditions. Therefore, the constitutional validity of the notification is upheld and consequently the petition is dismissed,” the court said.
The public interest litigation was filed by Capt YK Chethan (retd) of Galibeedu village of Madikeri taluk, questioning the notification dated October 29, 2019 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), exempting “every person of Coorg race and every Jamma tenure-holder in Coorg” from some of the provisions of the Arms Act, 1959 till October 31, 2029.