Arunachal: Itanagar District Magistrate orders mandatory firearms deposits ahead of elections

In anticipation of the upcoming simultaneous elections to the Parliament and Legislative Assembly in Arunachal Pradesh, the Office of the District Magistrate in Itanagar has issued a stern directive regarding the deposition of firearms. Th DM has issued a stringent order requiring all firearms licenses issued from Capital Itanagar to be deposited at the nearest police station within seven days.

With the Election Commission of India (ECI) having announced the election schedule effective March 20, 2024, and the Model Code of Conduct coming into force, the District Magistrate's office has taken proactive measures to ensure public safety and security during the electoral process.

Previously, a directive was issued under Memo.No. RO/ITA/MCC-01/2024 dated March 17, 2024, instructing all concerned individuals to deposit their firearms at the nearest police stations. However, according to reports from the Police Department, the compliance rate with this directive has been notably low, raising concerns regarding law enforcement and public safety.

In response to this situation, the recent order mandates that all firearms licenses issued from Capital Itanagar be deposited at the nearest police stations within seven days from the date of issue of the order. Failure to comply with this directive will result in the cancellation of firearms licenses without further notice.