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Section 2 of The Manoeuvres, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act, 1938

(1)The State Government may, by notification in the local Official Gazette, authorise the execution of military manoeuvres over any area specified in the notification during a specified period not exceeding three months: Provided that the same area or any part thereof shall not ordinarily be so specified more than once in any period of three years.
(2)The State Government shall publish notice of its intention to issue a notification under sub-section (1) as early as possible in advance of the issue of the notification, and no such notification shall be issued until the expiry of three months from the date of the first publication of such notice in the local Official Gazette.
(3)The notice required by sub-section (2) shall be given by publication in the local Official Gazette and shall also be given throughout the area which it is proposed to specify in the notification by publication in the manner prescribed by rules made under section 13, and shall be repeated by like publication one month and one week as nearly as may be before the commencement of the manoeuvres.

Summary

The State Government can allow military exercises, called manoeuvres, in a specific area by publishing an official announcement in its local Official Gazette.
This military exercise period cannot last longer than three months.
The same area or any part of it cannot normally be used for these exercises more than once every three years.
The State Government must publish an advance warning notice of its plan to allow exercises at least three months before issuing the final authorisation.
This warning notice must be published in the Official Gazette, spread locally across the target area following rules made under section 13, and repeated about one month and one week before the exercises start.

Practical examples

1In January 2026, the government of Punjab decides to let the military practice in a desert zone. On January 15, they publish an advance notice in the gazette. They must wait until April 15, which is exactly three months, before they can publish the final order allowing a two-month exercise.

2Farmer Dev lives in a village where exercises were held in October 2025. In May 2026, the military wants to use his village again. Since three years have not passed, the State Government cannot ordinarily authorise exercises in Dev's village again until October 2028.

FAQ

1. Who has the legal power to authorise military exercises under this section?

The State Government has the power to authorise them.

2. What is the maximum duration allowed for a single military exercise period?

The period specified in the notification cannot exceed three months.

3. How often can the government specify the same area for military exercises?

The same area or any part of it cannot ordinarily be specified more than once in three years.

4. When must the government publish its initial notice of intention?

It must publish the notice as early as possible, and the final notification cannot be issued until three months have passed from the date of the first publication.

5. How many times must the advance notice be repeated before exercises begin?

The notice must be repeated approximately one month and one week before the exercises start.

Test yourself

Q1.What is the maximum period for which a State Government can authorise military manoeuvres in a single notification?

Q2.How often can the same area or part of it ordinarily be specified for military manoeuvres?

Q3.How much time must pass between the first publication of the notice of intention and the final notification?

Q4.In what publication must the State Government publish its notifications and notices?

Q5.Under which section are the rules made that prescribe how notices are published in the local area?

Q6.When must the local publication of the notice be repeated before the manoeuvres start?

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MANOEUVRESCentral

Section 2 of The Manoeuvres, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act, 1938

(1)The State Government may, by notification in the local Official Gazette, authorise the execution of military manoeuvres over any area specified in the notification during a specified period not exceeding three months: Provided that the same area or any part thereof shall not ordinarily be so specified more than once in any period of three years.
(2)The State Government shall publish notice of its intention to issue a notification under sub-section (1) as early as possible in advance of the issue of the notification, and no such notification shall be issued until the expiry of three months from the date of the first publication of such notice in the local Official Gazette.
(3)The notice required by sub-section (2) shall be given by publication in the local Official Gazette and shall also be given throughout the area which it is proposed to specify in the notification by publication in the manner prescribed by rules made under section 13, and shall be repeated by like publication one month and one week as nearly as may be before the commencement of the manoeuvres.

Summary

The State Government can allow military exercises, called manoeuvres, in a specific area by publishing an official announcement in its local Official Gazette.
This military exercise period cannot last longer than three months.
The same area or any part of it cannot normally be used for these exercises more than once every three years.
The State Government must publish an advance warning notice of its plan to allow exercises at least three months before issuing the final authorisation.
This warning notice must be published in the Official Gazette, spread locally across the target area following rules made under section 13, and repeated about one month and one week before the exercises start.