Cabinet approves tougher provisions for Arms Act

Tightening up the process for grant of arms licence, Government on Thursday decided to make mandatory a police verification report on the applicant before the document is issued to him.

The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to amend relevant sections of the Arms Act of 1959 that empower the licensing authority to grant an arms license in absence of the police verification report.

"The Cabinet also approved the introduction of the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2010 in Parliament," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters in New Delhi.

The proposed amendments will obviate chances of issuing arms licences to persons whose antecedents are not bonafide, and ensure receipt of police verification report within a period of 60 days, she said.