Parliament Passes Stringent Arms (Amendment) Bill: 9 Highlights

Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu remarked that he thought women did not need firearms and “others would protect them.”

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The Parliament on Tuesday, 10 December, approved the Arms (Amendment) Bill 2019 – a legislation which aims to reduce the number of arms licences per person and provide for more stringent punishment to those carrying, manufacturing or selling illegal weapons.

It was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday and in the Rajya Sabha the next day. Here’s what you should know about it:

1. The Bill, introduced by Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy in the Rajya Sabha, is intended to amend the six-decade-old Arms Act of 1959.

2. It allows for a maximum punishment of “imprisonment for the remainder of that person's life” for manufacturing, selling, repairing and possessing prohibited arms, instead of the usual life term of 14 years.

3. The new legislation has a provision for life imprisonment for those who snatch or loot arms and ammunition from police or other security forces.

4. It also has a provision for imprisonment of two years or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh (or both) for those using firearms in a “rash or negligent manner in celebratory gunfire, endangering human life or personal safety of others.”

5. The 1959 Act allowed an individual to have 3 licences. This changes that to two. Those who own more than two firearms would have to deposit the third one with authorities or authorised gun dealers within 90 days for de-licensing.

6. According to G Kishan Reddy, the Bill allows for the possession of heirloom or heritage weapons if they have been de-activated.

7. The Bill also accords special status to sportspersons who need firearms and ammunition for practice and participating in tournaments.

8. Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu remarked that he thought women did not need firearms and that “others would protect them.” To this, BJP MP Roopa Ganguly replied that she had been shooting since childhood and that she enjoyed it.

9. Several amendments moved by Opposition parties were rejected, according to news agency PTI.

According to an estimate, India has a total of around 35 lakh gun licences.

Thirteen lakh people have licences to carry weapons in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Jammu and Kashmir, where 3.7 lakh people possess arms licences, most of which were taken on grounds of personal security, reports PTI.

Punjab, as a response to terrorism in 1980s and 1990s, has around 3.6 lakh active gun licences, most of which were issued during the two decades.

(With inputs from PTI)