Law is said to be strong reason and logic in a codified form. I have tried to think and find reasonable/logical reasons for the "need" for census of firearms, in my opinion there seem to be either of the two reasons, otherwise there does not seem to be any reasonable/logical reason behind this section:
1) Parliament did not want the Licensing Authorities to maintain records of number of licenses issued for security of license holders. For example: In event of War if enemy forces enter the Indian territory, they will not be able to get to know details from records seized from the office of Licensing Authority about arms license holders in an area. It said that during World Wars it was a usual practice for invading armies in Europe to first get hold of arms licensing registers, thereby getting name, address etc. of license holders and disarm them quickly.
2)Since the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental right under Articles 19 and 21(http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 15#p117785), Parliament expected that citizens in exercise of their Fundamental Rights, might be keeping firearms without licenses. Hence the "need" for census of firearms in a manner similar to population census.
Arms Act 1959, Section 42. Power of take census of firearms
(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct a census to be taken of all firearms in any area and empower any officer of Government to take such census.
(2) On the issue of any such notification all persons having in their possession any firearm in that area shall furnish to the officer concerned such information as he may require in relation thereto and shall produce before him such firearms if he so requires.
