MHA overlooked us in arms licence policy: House panel

The revised policy,issued on April 6,prescribes that no arms licence be granted without police verification and that the police authorities should be advised to send the police report within 45 days,failing which they will be liable for action.

Sources said some members of the Standing Committee have said that by putting up a draft policy on its website on December 21,2009,seeking the comments of the public by January 6,2010,the MHA had ignored the Committee. Advising the MHA to circulate copies of draft policy to its members,the Committee had asked the MHA not to finalise the policy till it had made its observations. Before the Committee could give its views,the MHA has gone ahead and notified it. Even if this doesnt mean contempt of Parliament,it is surely a matter of Parliamentary propriety, a source said.