Power of certain armed force officers to disperse assembly
Full Text
When the public security is manifestly endangered by any such assembly and no Executive Magistrate can be communicated with, any commissioned or gazetted officer of the armed forces may disperse such assembly with the help of the armed forces under his command, and may arrest and confine any persons forming part of it, in order to disperse such assembly or that they may be punished according to law; but if, while he is acting under this section, it becomes practicable for him to communicate with an Executive Magistrate, he shall do so, and shall thenceforward obey the instructions of the Magistrate, as to whether he shall or shall not continue such action.
Plain English Summary
Section 150 grants emergency powers to armed forces officers to disperse dangerous assemblies when no Magistrate is reachable, requiring them to seek instructions as soon as possible.
Key Legal Elements
- Emergency dispersal power for commissioned/gazetted armed forces officers
- Condition: Public security is manifestly endangered and no Magistrate is reachable
- Authority to arrest and confine members of the assembly
- Mandatory requirement to establish communication with a Magistrate
- Duty to follow Magistrate instructions once contact is made
Practical Note
This is a rare emergency provision for situations where public safety is at immediate risk and civil authority is unreachable.
हिंदी पाठ
जब किसी सभा से सार्वजनिक सुरक्षा स्पष्ट रूप से खतरे में हो और किसी भी कार्यकारी मजिस्ट्रेट से संपर्क करना संभव न हो, तो सशस्त्र बलों का कोई भी कमीशन प्राप्त या राजपत्रित अधिकारी (Commissioned or Gazetted Officer) अपनी कमान के तहत सशस्त्र बलों की मदद से ऐसी सभा को तितर-बितर कर सकता है। वह सभा के सदस्यों को गिरफ्तार और कैद भी कर सकता है। लेकिन यदि ऐसी कार्यवाही के दौरान मजिस्ट्रेट से संपर्क करना संभव हो जाए, तो वह ऐसा करेगा और उसके बाद मजिस्ट्रेट के निर्देशों का पालन करेगा कि कार्यवाही जारी रखनी है या नहीं।