Kamrup Metro orders deposit of licensed arms ahead of Assam Assembly polls

Ahead of the General Election to the Assam Legislative Assembly, 2026, the Kamrup Metropolitan District Administration has directed all licensed arms holders to deposit their firearms and ammunition within one week to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of the polls.

The order, issued by the District Magistrate and District Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan, prohibits the carrying and storage of any kind of arms within the Kamrup Metropolitan Election District during the election period. The directive has been enforced under Section 17(3)(b) and Section 21(1) of the Arms Act, 1959.

As per the notification, all individuals possessing valid arms licences must deposit their weapons along with ammunition at their respective police stations within seven days from the date of issuance of the order. The deposited arms will remain in police custody until one week after the declaration of the election results.

The administration clarified that organisations, institutions, departments or individuals seeking exemption must submit a written application to the office of the District Commissioner, specifying the arms licence number, Unique Identification Number (UIN), arms registration number and valid reasons for exemption.

The Officer-in-Charge of the concerned police station will issue a receipt for each weapon deposited. The arms will be returned to licence holders after the stipulated period following the declaration of results.

The order further warns that failure to comply within the prescribed time frame will invite legal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in addition to relevant provisions of the Arms Act.