The Arms Act, 1959 – All Sections

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to arms and ammunition.

The Arms Act, 1959 has 48 sections in 6 chapters, amended 5 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.

The Arms Act, 1959 PDF

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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).

All sections of the Arms Act, 1959

Chapter I: PRELIMINARY

Section 1 – Short title, extent and commencement
Section 2 – Definitions and interpretation

Chapter II: ACQUISITION, POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, SALE, IMPORT, EXPORT AND TRANSPORT OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION

Section 3 – Licence for acquisition and possession of firearms and ammunition
Section 4 – Licence for acquisition and possession of arms of specified description in certain cases
Section 5 – Licence for manufacture, sale, etc., of arms and ammunition
Section 6 – Licence for the shortening of guns or conversion of imitation firearms into firearms
Section 7 – Prohibition of acquisition or possession, or of manufacture or sale of prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition
Section 8 – Prohibition of sale or transfer of firearms not bearing identification marks
Section 9 – Prohibition of acquisition or possession by, or of sale or transfer to, young persons and certain other persons of firearms, etc
Section 10 – Licence for import and export of arms, etc
Section 11 – Power to prohibit import or export of arms, etc
Section 12 – Power to restrict or prohibit transport of arms

Chapter III: PROVISIONS RELATING TO LICENCES

Section 13 – Grant of licences
Section 14 – Refusal of licences
Section 15 – Duration and renewal of licence
Section 16 – Fees, etc., for licence
Section 17 – Variation, suspension and revocation of licences
Section 18 – Appeals

Chapter IV: POWERS AND PROCEDURE

Section 19 – Powers to demand production of licence, etc
Section 20 – Arrest of persons conveying arms, etc., under suspicious circumstances
Section 21 – Deposit of arms, etc., on possession ceasing to be lawful
Section 22 – Search and seizure by magistrate
Section 23 – Search of vessels, vehicles for arms, etc
Section 24 – Seizure and detention under orders of the Central Government
Section 24A – Prohibition as to possession of notified arms in disturbed areas, etc
Section 24B – Prohibition as to carrying of notified arms in or through public places in disturbed areas etc

Chapter V: OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

Section 25 – Punishment for certain offences
Section 26 – Secret contraventions
Section 27 – Punishment for using arms, etc
Section 28 – Punishment for use and possession of firearms or imitation firearms in certain cases
Section 29 – Punishment for knowingly purchasing arms, etc., from unlicensed person or for delivering arms, etc., to person not entitled to possess the same
Section 30 – Punishment for contravention of licence or rule
Section 31 – Punishment for subsequent offences
Section 32 – Power to confiscate
Section 33 – Offences by companies

Chapter VI: MISCELLANEOUS

Section 34 – Sanction of Central Government for warehousing of arms
Section 35 – Criminal responsibility of persons in occupation of premises in certain cases
Section 36 – Information to be given regarding certain offences
Section 37 – Arrest and searches
Section 38 – Offences to be cognizable
Section 39 – Previous sanction of the district magistrate necessary in certain cases
Section 40 – Protection of action taken in good faith
Section 41 – Power to exempt
Section 42 – Power to take census of firearms
Section 43 – Power to delegate
Section 44 – Power to make rules
Section 45 – Act not to apply in certain cases
Section 46 – Repeal of Act 11 of 1878