Court query on screening panel for depositing arms during elections

Two of the petitioners’ Vikas Shukla,an advocate,and Merwan Irani,a sportsperson,have already deposited their firearms. Their advocate Satyajit Joshi and A B Rai argued that there has been no screening of the individuals who have been asked to deposit their firearms.

According to Joshi,a screening committee should first categorise the owners to see if they have a clean record or are habitual offenders.

Counsel S R Chitnis who appeared for other petitioners said that they would not deposit the firearms in view of an earlier division bench order passed in 2000 which had held that there should be a screening committee to access the antecedents of the arms owner.

Chitnis argued that the additional collector’s order was in contravention to the earlier division bench order.

Division bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice Rajesh Ketkar asked the Additional Public Prosecutor Usha Kejariwal if they had a screening committee to access the situation. Kejariwal said that she had to take instructions after which the court adjourned the hearing till Tuesday.

As for the petitioners’ who are yet to deposit their arms,the court has said that the Election Commission should file an affidavit by Thursday stating whether it is necessary for depositing arms before the screening committee.

Justice Desai,however,cautioned the state government that the court should not find things to be out of proper procedure.

“You cannot take firearms like this. If we find anything we will come down heavily,” Justice Desai said.

According to Joshi,the guns have to be deposited from the day model code of conduct comes to force and will be returned after declaration of election results.