ACQUISITION, POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, SALE, IMPORT, EXPORT ANDCentral

Section 7 of THE ARMS ACT, 1959

Prohibition of acquisition or possession, or of manufacture or sale, of prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition. No person shall--

(a)acquire, have in his possession or carry; or
(b)2*[use, manufacture] sell, transfer, convert, repair, test or prove; or
(c)expose or offer for sale or transfer or have in his possession for sale, transfer, conversion, repair, test or proof; any prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition unless he has been specially authorised by the Central Government in this behalf. 8.

Summary

This provision bans any person from acquiring, possessing, or carrying prohibited weapons or ammunition.
It also bans the manufacture, sale, transfer, conversion, repair, testing, or proving of these prohibited items.
It bans exposing or offering prohibited weapons or ammunition for sale or transfer.
The only exception is if a person is specially authorized by the Central Government.

Practical examples

1Ramesh, an ordinary citizen, bought a fully automatic machine gun on January 15, 2024, from an illegal dealer in Mumbai. Since this is a prohibited arm and Ramesh has no special authorization from the Central Government, he is in violation of Section 7.

2Anjali runs a small mechanical workshop. On March 10, 2025, she agreed to repair a gas-discharging military weapon brought to her by an acquaintance. Because the weapon is a prohibited arm, repairing it without special authorization violates Section 7.

FAQ

1. What are prohibited arms and ammunition under the law?

Prohibited arms include fully automatic guns that keep firing as long as the trigger is held, weapons that discharge noxious liquids or gases, and military weapons like artillery or anti-tank firearms. Prohibited ammunition includes rockets, bombs, grenades, torpedoes, and articles containing noxious liquids or gases.

Test yourself

Q1.Under Section 7 of The Arms Act, 1959, what is required for a person to legally possess prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition?

Q2.Under Section 7 of The Arms Act, 1959, which of the following activities is banned for prohibited arms without special authorization?

Q3.Under Section 7 of The Arms Act, 1959, what happens if an individual wants to repair a prohibited firearm?

Q4.Under Section 7 of The Arms Act, 1959, which of the following is considered a prohibited arm as defined under Section 2 of the Act?

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