Port Blair, Mar 17: WHEAREAS, the Election Commission of India has announced the General Elections-2024 schedules on 16/03/2024 which will be held on 19/04/2024. Thus, with the announcement of the Election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect;
AND WHEREAS, the Election Commission of India, issued instructions vide Order No.464/96-L&O/PLN-1 dated 13.03.1996 that connotes the District Magistrate, shall make a detailed and individual review and assessment of all licensed arms holders, so that licensed arms in those cases, where they consider it essential to impounded in order to ensure maintenance of Law and Order, so essential for ensuring free and fair elections;
AND WHEREAS, the Election Commission of India, also instructed that prohibitory order under Section 144 of Cr.PC, 1973 shall be issued banning the carrying of licensed arms as soon as an election is announced and should be effective till the declaration of results;
AND WHEREAS, it appears to me that carrying of firearms, spears, swords, sticks, brickbats, lathis and other weapons by the public during the election period is likely to lead to breach of peace and threat to peaceful conduct of elections in the District of South Andaman;
AND WHEREAS, in my opinion there is sufficient ground for proceeding under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 to prohibit the action mentioned in para (4) above which may be detrimental to public peace and tranquility and may pose threat to peaceful conduct of free and fair elections.
AND WHEREAS, all the Station House Officers, shall make a detailed and individual review and assessment of all licensed holders and all the arms licensed holders shall deposit their weapons with the nearest police station immediately and in any case before 22/03/2024. If the individual license holder failed to deposit their arms, the Station House Officer shall impound it and shall furnish a detailed report on such deposit and seizure;
AND WHEREAS, this ban shall not be applicable to those communities who are entitled to display weapons by long standing law, custom and usage also to those Nationalized / Private Banks, where arms are necessary to safeguard cash chests. However, individual exemption order shall have to be obtained immediately;
NOW THEREFORE, I,Arjun Sharma, District Magistrate, South Andaman District in exercise of the power conferred upon me u/s 144 of Cr.PC do hereby:-
Order that all the arms license holders shall deposit their weapons with the nearest police station immediately, latest by 22/03/2024.
Prohibit possession and carrying of any kind of spears, swords, sticks, brickbats, lathis and other weapons by the general public in the district of South Andaman with immediate effect.
Let a plain copy of this Order be served upon the General Public and Stakeholders by affixing at Tehsil Headquarters/Police Stations (under South Andaman) and through prominent local Daily for strict compliance.
Given under my hand and seal on this day of the 16th March, 2024.
