Arms Act, 1959

24B. Prohibition as to carrying of notified arms in or through public places in disturbed areas, etc. -

(1) Where the Central Government is satisfied that there is extensive disturbance in any area and that for the prevention of offences involving the sue of arms in such area and that for the prevention of offences involving the use of arms in such area it is necessary or expedient so to do,

it may, by notification in the Official Gazette,-

(a) specify the limits of such area;

(b) direct that during the period specified in the notification (which period commencing from a date not earlier than the second day after the date of publication of the notification in the Official Gazette), no person shall carry or otherwise have in his possession any arms of such description as may be specified in the notification (the arms so specified being hereafter in this section referred to as notified arms) through or in any public place in such area;

(c) authorize any such officer subordinate to the Central Government or a State Government as may be specified in the notification,-

( i ) to search at any time during the period specified in the notification any person in or passing through, or any premises in or forming part of, of any animal or vessel or vehicle or other conveyance of whatever nature, in or passing through, or any receptacle or other container of whatever nature in, any public place in such area if such officer has reason to believe that any notified arms are secreted by such person or in such premises or on such animal or in such person or in such premises or on such animal or in such vessel, vehicle or other conveyance or in such receptacle or other container;

(ii) to seize at any time during the period specified in the notification any notified arms being carried by or otherwise in the possession of any person, through a search under such-clause (I), and detain the same during the period specified in the notification.

(2) The period specified in a notification issued under sub-section (1) in respect of any area shall not, in the first instance, exceed ninety days, but the Central Government may amend such notification to extend such period from time to time by any period not exceeding ninety days at any one time if, in the opinion of that Government, there continues to be in such area such disturbance of public peace and tranquility as is referred to in sub-section (1) or imminent danger thereof and that for the prevention of offences involving the use of arms in such area it is necessary or expedient so to do.

(3) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, (2 of 1974), relating to searches and seizures shall, so far as may be, apply to any search or seizure made under sub-section (1).

(4) For the purposes of this section,-

(a) "arms" includes ammunition;

(b) "public place" means any place intended for use by, or accessible to, the public or any section of the public ; and

(c) where the period specified in a notification, as originally issued under sub-section (1), is extended under sub-section (2), then, in relation to such notification, reference in sub-section (I) to "the period specified in the notification" shall be construed as reference to the period as so extended.]

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