( 1 ) THE petitioner is a dealer in arms and ammunition and carries on business in the name and style of 'm/s Amrik Chand Hukum Singh Saluja' in Bilaspur. He held a licence for possessing and acquiring arms and ammunition, as required by the Arms Act, 1959. This licence was valid up to 31 - 12- 1986. The petitioner then applied for its renewal, vide Annexures-B, D and F for the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively. These applications were not disposed of. However, the petitioner went on depositing in the treasury the necessary licence fee. Although no formal orders, renewing the licence for the years 1987, 1988. and 1989, were passed, yet, from time to time, the District Magistrate, Bilaspur, issued no objection certificates for import of fire arms and ammunition, as and when required. Annexures-I-1 to I-10, annexed to the petition, are a few of such no objection certificates, which range from 3-1-1987 to 12-9-1988. The petitioner was allowed to continue the business of dealing in arms and ammunition, as before. However, on 21-1-1988, the arms and ammunition held by the petitioner in his premises were seized by the Kotwali Police and were removed to the Police Sta