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THE ARMS ACT, 1878 THE ARMS ACT, 1878 ACT No. XI OF 1878 [15th March, 1878] An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to Arms, Ammunition and Military Stores. WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to arms, ammunition and military stores ; It is hereby enacted as follows:‑ IV.‑GOING ARMED AND POSSESSING ARMS, ETC. [16. In certain cases arms to be deposited at police‑stations or with licensed dealers.--------‑( Subs. by the Indian Arms (Amdt.) Act, 1919 (20 of 1919), s. 2, for the original section.)(1) Any person possessing arms, ammunition or mili tary stores the possession whereof has, in consequence of the can cellation or expiry of a license or of an exemption or by the issue of a notification under section 15 or otherwise, become unlawful, shall without unnecessary delay deposit the same either with the officer in charge of the nearest police‑station or, at his option and subject to such conditions as the 6[appropriate Government] may by rule prescribe, with a licensed dealer. (2) When arms, ammunition or military stores have been de posited under sub‑section (1) or before the first day of January, 1920, under the provisions of any law for the time being in force, the depositor shall, at any time before the expiry of such period as the (See foot‑note 6 on preceding page.)[appropriate Government] may by rule prescribe, be en titled‑‑ (a) to receive back any thing so deposited the possession of which by him has become lawful, and (b) to dispose, or authorize the disposal, of any thing so de posited by sale or otherwise to any person whose pos session of the same would be lawful ; and to receive the proceeds of any such sale: Provided that nothing in this sub‑section shall be deemed to authorize the return or disposal of any thing the confiscation of which has been directed under section 24. (3) All things deposited as aforesaid and not returned or dis posed of under sub‑section (2) within the prescribed period therein referred to shall be forfeited to (Subs. by A. O., 1961, Art. 2, for " His Majesty" (with effect from the 23rd March, 1956).)[Government]. (4) (a) The (See foot‑note 6 on preceding page.)[appropriate Government] may make rules con sistent with this Act for carrying into effect the provisions of this section. Act 31 of 1860 was rep. by s. 3 of this Act. The original words " the Local Government with the previous sanction of the Governor General in Council" were first subs. by A. O., 1937 and then amended by A. O., 1964, Art. 2 and Sch., to read as above. (b) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the (See foot‑note 6 on page 399, supra.)[appropriate Government] may by rule prescribe‑ (i) the conditions subject to which arms, ammunition and military stores may be deposited with a licensed dealer, and (ii) the period after the expiry of which things deposited as aforesaid shall be forfeited under sub‑section (3).]