Panchayat elections: Carrying of firearms banned in Mohali

The ban on carrying firearms and ammunition were in the public interest to thwart any untoward incident related to law and order during the gram panchayats elections, as per the prohibition orders

District magistrate Aashika Jain on Friday imposed a ban on carrying firearms and ammunition across the district till October 16, 2024, a day after the gram panchayat elections in Punjab.

Panchayat elections in Punjab will be held on October 15. (HT)

The prohibition orders, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, stated that the said instructions issued by the State Election Commission of Punjab and guidelines under the model code of conduct pertaining to the ban on carrying firearms and ammunition were in the public interest to thwart any untoward incident related to law and order during the gram panchayats elections.

The orders, however, exempted on-duty police, military or paramilitary personnel and other government servants.

“Moreover, sportspersons who are members of the National Rifle Association and have to participate in various sporting events in which they use rifles, as well as those categories of licensees who are exempted as per the instructions issued by the Election Commission of India, unless screening committee decides to impound the weapon by way of specific order, have also been kept out of the purview of these orders,” the order of the DM read.

However, those arms licence holders, who will receive a notice by the office of the district magistrate on the recommendation of the screening committee, would have to deposit their arms and ammunition within a week at the nearest police station or with authorised arms dealers, the DM added.