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. | Knowingly 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?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Only two
Pairs 1 and 3 are correct; pair 2 is wrong. Misleading or interfering with police or armed-forces personnel on guard near a prohibited place is an offence under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, not the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, which only lays down rules of evidence in court.
- ✓ 1. Section 6 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 punishes wearing, without lawful authority, any naval, military, air force, police or other official uniform for the purposes the section lists.
- ✗ 2. Section 7 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (interfering with officers of the police or members of the Armed Forces) bars anyone near a prohibited place from obstructing, knowingly misleading or otherwise interfering with them. The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 has no such offence.
- ✓ 3. The Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019 added sub-section (9) to section 25 of the Arms Act, 1959: using a firearm in celebratory gunfire so as to endanger human life or the personal safety of others is punishable with up to two years' imprisonment, a fine up to rupees one lakh, or both.
Remember · Uniform misuse and interference with police or armed forces near a prohibited place: Official Secrets Act, 1923 (sections 6 and 7). Celebratory gunfire: Arms Act, 1959 section 25(9), inserted in 2019.
Sources
- Ministry of Home Affairs: The Official Secrets Act, 1923, section 6 ↗ “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 … 7. Interfering with officers of the police or members of the Armed forces of the Union. (1) No person in the vicinity of any prohibited place shall obstruct, knowingly mislead or otherwise interfere with or impede,”
- The Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019 (MHA), inserting section 25(9) ↗ “Whoever uses firearm in a rash or negligent manner or in celebratory gunfire so as to endanger human life or personal safety of others shall be punishable with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2023, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·