Arms Act, 1959 alongwith Rules, 2016

This 2025 edition of The Arms Act, 1959 (Act 54 of 1959) contains India’s core legislation regulating the acquisition, possession, manufacture, sale, transfer, transport, import, and export of firearms and ammunition. The text is fully consolidated with the Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 48 of 2019, w.e.f. 14-12-2019) and incorporates the most recent executive notifications up to 2025.

Supplementary material inside
• The Arms Rules, 2016 (dt. 15-7-2016, as amended via GSR 826 E, 28-10-2022, w.e.f. 3-11-2022)
• Latest notifications on
– Exclusion of specific arms from the Act’s operation
– Exemptions for particular classes of persons and categories of arms

Concise short comments appear after pivotal sections—highlighting licence categories, validity periods, digital-licensing portals, and enhanced penalties—while preserving the bare-act integrity needed for examinations and official reference.

Core statutory coverage

• Definitions & classifications of firearms, ammunition, replicas, and prohibited arms
• Licensing framework—individual, dealer, manufacturer, transporter, temporary-import, and sport-shooting categories
• Quantity limits, validity & renewal of licences; electronic-form applications under Arms Rules, 2016
• Restrictions & prohibitions on automatic weapons, conversion kits, and manufacture without marking/serialisation
• Transfer, inheritance & disposal of arms and ammunition
• Inspection, seizure & forfeiture powers of licensing and law-enforcement authorities
• Penalties & cognisable offences—enhanced punishments introduced in 2019 for illicit trafficking and organised crime links
• Rule-making authority & exemptions for defence, police, athletics, and traditional martial-arts communities

This edition is particularly suitable for

• AIBE candidates, law students, and competitive-exam aspirants covering public-safety statutes
• Arms-licensing authorities, police officials, shooting-sport federations, and manufacturers needing crystal-clear statutory guidance
• Advocates & compliance consultants advising on licensing, import policy, or penal liabilities
• Policy researchers & security analysts examining India’s firearms-control regime and recent amendments

Presented without extensive commentary but enriched with targeted explanatory notes, this Bare Act delivers clarity, authenticity, and immediate practical insight—indispensable for statutory compliance, legal practice, and academic study.