KOCHI: Kerala High Court has made it clear that police do not have any authority to direct people to deposit licensed arms and that a decision regarding the requirement of deposit of licensed arms in view of upcoming assembly polls can only be taken by the screening committee constituted as per the circular issued by the Election Commission.
The circular stated that a screening committee has to be constituted for review and assessment of all licence holders . The court issued the order on a petition filed by Pradeep Rao M, of Manjeshwar, Kasaragod, challenging the direction to surrender his licensed firearm before the station house officer, Badiadka police station.
The petitioner submitted that the action of the police was illegal as it was contrary to the provisions in the circular issued by the Election Commission. The court observed there was no justification for collecting licensed arms well before the election without authority. It is unfortunate that the authorities concerned continue to adopt such illegal procedures even after a series of judgments from the High Court.The court directed the Kasaragod collector to see that the police officers under him are not resorting to such short-cut methods.