Madhya Pradesh: Musketry Act Overhaul In State After 68 Years; New Rules Likely From Next Year

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Police is set to bring a major change to its weapons policy by replacing the 68-year-old Musketry Act with a new and comprehensive regulation, likely to be enforced from early next year.

The existing act, framed in 1957 and based on the arms used during the British era, is now outdated in the context of the force's modern weaponry. Officials said the new regulation would cover everything from use, training and storage to maintenance and disposal of arms.

The state police now use advanced weapons such as INSAS rifles, SLRs and AK-47s, which were never considered under the original Musketry Act. Recognising this gap, the police department has formed a high-level committee to prepare a new set of rules.

The committee has been tasked with drafting a regulation that can serve as an umbrella for all matters related to police arms. It aims to finalise the draft by the end of this year, with implementation targeted for January.

According to officers involved in the process, the draft has already been circulated among all MP Police units to seek suggestions. These suggestions will be reviewed by the committee and, if found suitable, included in the final version. The new regulation will bring in structured rules not only for weapon usage but also for storage, training, regular maintenance and retiring arms after their prescribed use. This marks the first time such provisions will be formally laid out.

Panel at work

To carry out the task, a dedicated committee was formed under the chairmanship of the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Special Armed Force (SAF). The committee includes Commandant of 7th Battalion, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Management, AIG of the Special Task Force (STF) and AIG of Hawk Force. This team has been given the responsibility of modernising the police’s arms management system, bringing new weapons into service, and removing outdated ones.

The draft regulation includes provisions for safe storage of weapons, periodic maintenance, training methods, rules for retiring weapons after their effective usage period and the use of shooting ranges. The draft has been sent to all police units across Madhya Pradesh, allowing them to submit suggestions or changes. Once this feedback is reviewed, the final regulation will be framed for implementation.

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Modern arsenal

Madhya Pradesh Police currently possesses around one lakh weapons, covering a wide variety of categories. The existing stock includes musket rifles, .303 rifles, AK-47s, self-loaded rifles (SLRs), Glock pistols, mortars, tear gas guns and shells, multi-launcher machine guns (MLMs), sniper rifles, grenade launchers, INSAS rifles, revolvers, .22 rifles, sten guns, carbines, Very Light Pistols (VLPs) and a few other types.

Despite this wide range of arms, the old Musket Act does not account for modern weapon systems or outline any specific norms for storage and disposal. The new regulation aims to address these gaps comprehensively, making it more aligned with current operational realities.

Roll out by Jan

The committee expects to complete all drafting and consultation work by the end of this year. If all goes as planned, the new musketry regulation may be enforced in January. Once in place, it will serve as the central guiding framework for all matters related to arms used by the police force — including training, operation, storage, and disposal.

Speaking in this regard, Hitesh Chaudhary, Commandant of 7th Battalion, said, “All exercises will be completed by the end of the year, and probably in the first month of the year, it may be enforced.”