Kerala Police Act, 1979

Section 1

Short title and commencement.- This Act may be called the Kerala Police Act, 1979.

It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification in

the Gazette, appoint.

Section 2

Insertion of new section 21A.-In the Kerala Police Act, 1969 , after section 21, the following section shall be inserted, namely:-

“21A . Power to prohibit mass drill, mass training, etc.,- The District Magistrate

may, whenever he considers it necessary so to do for the preservation of the public peace or public safety or for the maintenance of public order, by public notice or by order directed to individuals, prohibit, in any area within his jurisdiction, the holding of, or taking part in, any mass drill or mass training with arms or the carrying of arms in any procession.

Explanation.- For the purposes of this section, “arms” means any type of offensive

weapon and includes lathi, dand and stick.

No prohibition under this section shall remain in force for more than three

months:

Provided that if the Government consider it necessary so to do for the preservation

of public peace or public safety or for the maintenance of public order, they may, by notification in the Gazette, direct that a public notice of order issued by a District Magistrate under this section shall remain in force for such further period not exceeding six months from the date on which such notice or order would have, but for such order, expired, as they may specify in the said notification.”.

Section 3

Amendment of section 25.-In section 25 of the principal Act,-

in the opening paragraph,- for the words “order in writing”, the word “order” shall be substituted; after the word and figures ‘section 21”, the word, figures and letter “section

21A,” shall be inserted;

in clause , after the word and figures “section 21”, the words, figures and

letter “or under section 21A" shall be inserted.

Section 4

Insertion of new section 57A .- After section 57 of the principal Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely:-

“57A. Contravention of prohibition made under section 21A.-Whoever contravenes

any prohibition made under section 21A shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, but which shall not be less than three months, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees.”.