With reference to India, consider the following pairs:

Action

The Act under which it is covered

(1)
Unauthorized wearing of police or military uniforms The Official Secrets Act, 1923

(2)
Knowing misleading or otherwise interfering with a police officer or military officer when engaged in their duties The Indian Evidence Act, 1872

(3)
Celebratory gunfire which can endanger the personal safety of others The Arms (Amendment Act, 2019)

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2023: General Studies (SET - A - Held on 28 May)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key PointsThe Official Secrets Act, 1923:

Section 6: Unauthorised use of uniforms, falsification of reports, forgery, personation, and false documents.—
- (1) If any person for the purpose of gaining admission or of assisting any other person to gain admission to a prohibited place or for any other purpose prejudicial to the safety of the State—
- (a) uses or wears, without lawful authority, any naval, military, air force, police or other official uniform, or any uniform so nearly, resembling the same as to be calculated to deceive, or falsely represents himself to be a person who is or has been entitled to use or wear any such uniform. Hence statement 1 is correct.
Section 7:Interfering with officers of the police or members of the Armed Forces of Union.—
- (1) No person in the vicinity of any prohibited place shall obstruct, knowingly mislead or otherwise interfere with or impede, any police officer, or any member of 3 [the Armed Forces of the Union] engaged on guard, Sentry, patrol, or other similar duty in relation to the prohibited place. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.

The Arms (Amendment Act, 2019):

New offences: The Act adds news offences. These include:
- (i) forcefully taking a firearm from police or armed forces, punishable with imprisonment between 10 years and life imprisonment, along with fine,
- (ii) using firearms in a celebratory gunfire which endangers human life or personal safety of others, punishable with imprisonment of up to two years, or fine of up to one lakh rupees, or both. Celebratory gunfire refers to use of firearms in public gatherings, religious places, marriages or other functions to fire ammunition. Hence statement 3 is correct.

	Action	The Act under which it is covered
(1)	Unauthorized wearing of police or military uniforms	The Official Secrets Act, 1923
(2)	Knowing misleading or otherwise interfering with a police officer or military officer when engaged in their duties	The Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(3)	Celebratory gunfire which can endanger the personal safety of others	The Arms (Amendment Act, 2019)