Rifle Club membership - A new problem!!!

[vivekpeter]

Hello Friends,

Today, I went to the rifle club in Madurai. There was a new person there, who was standing with an application for joining the rifle club, and he seemed very irate. I approached him, and asked him what the problem was and he explained me. He said he had a great interest in shooting, and as a first step, he had come to enroll in the Madurai Rifle Club. In the application, there is a clause mentioning that the applicant should not have any criminal antecedents, which required attestation from the local police station.There the problem started.
The person approached the police station, and met up with the inspector, who said that they dont give such attestations (..and what does the inspector do exactly??!!) And when the person explained the whole deal about joining the club, the inspector asked him to approach the commissioner of police and then proceed downwards towards the station. He has been to the station 4 or 5 times, and its been a month.
The plight of the person is very pitiable, and so is the plight of any ordinary man, who has to approach the police station for antecedence clearance for joining the club.
The thought that an individual cannot join the rifle club because of some irresponsible inspector is really worrying, and I really do not know where this is going to lead to.

Regards,
Vivek

[goodboy_mentor]

The thought that an individual cannot join the rifle club because of some irresponsible inspector is really worrying,

Let us not blame the inspector in this case, police has no legal role or obligation to give any kind of "character/antecedent certificates" etc. to the people. It is the rifle club that seems to be bent on creating problems, by putting up such needless requirements. Even if somebody is so called "criminal", police has no legal role to stop him from pursuing shooting as a sport. If a criminal is such a "threat" to society that he needs to be prevented from pursuing shooting as a sport, it is for the courts to decide and send orders curtailing his Liberty as guaranteed under Article 21, against enrollment of such person to rifle clubs. In a recent landmark judgment by Hon'ble Supreme Court, the meaning and important place of Liberty in life of man has been very adequately explained at http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1108032/

If you read the following thread, people are unfortunately facing similar problems from other rifle clubs also http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 50#p126909

[vivekpeter]

The thought that an individual cannot join the rifle club because of some irresponsible inspector is really worrying,

Let us not blame the inspector in this case, police has no legal role or obligation to give any kind of "character/antecedent certificates" etc. to the people. It is the rifle club that seems to be bent on creating problems, by putting up such needless requirements. Even if somebody is so called "criminal", police has no legal role to stop him from pursuing shooting as a sport. If a criminal is such a "threat" to society that he needs to be prevented from pursuing shooting as a sport, it is for the courts to decide and send orders curtailing his Liberty as guaranteed under Article 21, against enrollment of such person to rifle clubs. In a recent landmark judgment by Hon'ble Supreme Court, the meaning and important place of Liberty in life of man has been very adequately explained at http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1108032/

If you read the following thread, people are unfortunately facing similar problems from other rifle clubs also http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 50#p126909

Hello Sir,

If that is the case, then the rifle clubs need to revise their norms. If a rifle club cannot support people, then how would the nation and its set of politicians do that..

Regards,
Vivek

[shooter]

The thought that an individual cannot join the rifle club because of some irresponsible inspector is really worrying,

Let us not blame the inspector in this case, police has no legal role or obligation to give any kind of "character/antecedent certificates" etc. to the people. It is the rifle club that seems to be bent on creating problems, by putting up such needless requirements. Even if somebody is so called "criminal", police has no legal role to stop him from pursuing shooting as a sport. If a criminal is such a "threat" to society that he needs to be prevented from pursuing shooting as a sport, it is for the courts to decide and send orders curtailing his Liberty as guaranteed under Article 21, against enrollment of such person to rifle clubs. In a recent landmark judgment by Hon'ble Supreme Court, the meaning and important place of Liberty in life of man has been very adequately explained at http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1108032/

If you read the following thread, people are unfortunately facing similar problems from other rifle clubs also http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 50#p126909

We all are fond of cop bashing but in this case, i dont really blame them.

But surely there must be some procedure to apply to have a police check on a person like they do in many other countries. Of course one has to pay a legal fee to have it done so the department is reimbursed for doing extra work.

[jashwantsinh]

Hello friends,

Here at Ahmedabad in Gujarat, a Rifle club is here since last more than 40 years. Here too if one wish to get Rifle club membership, than, he must hold a clear verification from his/her respective police station on the prescribed form supplied by Rifle Club. Have not see or heard that police gave negative report so far to anyone so far.

Jashwantsinh

[goodboy_mentor]

Gentlemen I am not saying that police do not give these "character/antecedent certificates". The question is whether Police is legally obliged to give such certificates? If yes, then under which law? How can they "decide" or rather certify that a person can join a rifle club or not? Unless there is some law that gives them such authority.

Police has no legal role to "decide" anything about any person. Their role is only limited to see that nobody is violating the law. Which law is getting violated if someone is joining a Rifle Club? If anyone is found violating the law, Police can investigate and file a case against him in the court. It is for the court to "decide" if the Liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution for that person needs to be curtailed.

If some rifle clubs have been following this practice of demanding "certificates" from Police for many decades and Police has been obliging with this request, it does not necessarily mean that such a practice is Legal and Constitutional.

[jashwantsinh]

Thanks Goodboy_mentor,

Good that you explained matter elaborately.

Regards,

Jashwantsinh.

[goodboy_mentor]

You are welcome jashwantsinh

If that is the case, then the rifle clubs need to revise their norms. If a rifle club cannot support people, then how would the nation and its set of politicians do that..

Of course Rifle Clubs should revise their norms, if they want to get more applicants. Rather than harassing applicants, Rifle Clubs can ask the Police to regularly provide them with a detailed list of persons, along with the applicable Sections of law that debars them from joining a Rifle Club!

[vivekpeter]

You are welcome jashwantsinh

If that is the case, then the rifle clubs need to revise their norms. If a rifle club cannot support people, then how would the nation and its set of politicians do that..

Of course Rifle Clubs should revise their norms, if they want to get more applicants. Rather than harassing applicants, Rifle Clubs can ask the Police to regularly provide them with a detailed list of persons, along with the applicable Sections of law that debars them from joining a Rifle Club!

True!! Words of wisdom!!!