(4)The period within which a depositor or his legal representative may exercise his rights under sub-section (2) of section 21 shall be(a)Six months from the date of deposit, if the arms or ammunition are deposited as a consequence or contravention by its, owner of any provision of the Act or these rules or any condition of the licence.(b)One year(i)from the date of deposit, if the arms or ammunition are deposited as a consequence of its possession becoming unlawful under section 21(1) otherwise than as under clause (a); or(ii)if it is already in deposit, from the date of communication to the owner, of the order revoking, suspending, or refusing to renew the licence; or(iii)from the date of notification issued under section 4:Provided that any period under clause (a) or (b) shall be reckoned(i)where an appeal is preferred by the owner under section 18 from the date of the final order of the appellate authority;(ii)where the arms or ammunition is the subject of a legal suit or dispute or is owned or inherited by a person who has not completed the age of sixteen years from the date of termination of the dispute or of completion by that person of the age of sixteen years; and(iii)wherethe owner of the arms or ammunition is on active service outside India-from the date of his return to India:[Provided further that(i)when the arms or ammunition is owned by a person who is considered by the licensing authority to be unfit, for the time being to carry the arms or ammunition for any reason, or in any other suitable case, the District Magistrate or the Commissioner of Police, in relation to any metropolitan area, may extend the period prescribed under clause (a) or clause (b) for a period upto six months; and(ii)the State Government may by special or general order extend the period beyond six months:Provided further that when the arm or ammunition is owned by a person who is considered by the licensing authority to be unfit, for the time being, to carry the arms or ammunition for any reason, the period prescribed under clause (a) may be extended suitably by the District Magistrate, or the Commissioner of Police in relation to any metropolitan area.] [Substituted by G.S.R. 509, dated 26.5.1982.](c)[ [Two years] if the firearms are deposited as a consequence of proviso tosub-section (2) of section 3.]
