Breach of Privacy

[ruger_rugged]

I came across this article. Now Punjab babus gone insane. They are following Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120601/punjab.htm#9

[varunik]

What I get from the article is that they are making a database, accessible to all security forces. 'online' doesn't mean that it'll be accessible to general public.
Its just a database of nation wide arms user for use of govt agencies only. I think it'll benefit us.
Now the error factor will also be reduced.
Just that the person uploading the database should be able to use a computer.

[ruger_rugged]

@ varunik

Cant say whether this one will be accessible to general public, but the ones which already exist are visible to everyone. You may check out the Thane City police website for instance. Weapon serial no, licence no, address, validity of licence etc etc can be clearly seen. It has been discussed here in the past. Some district administrations in Rajasthan have also done this and now Punjab is following their foot steps.

[goodboy_mentor]

This database thing appears to be against Section 42 of Arms Act 1959. Section 42 empowers the Central Government to take census of firearms in any area. If databases are to be maintained then question of census does not arise. Clearly Parliament did not want some central database for any area because one of the objectives of Arms Act 1959 wants that during national emergency all armed citizens will be required for defense. If there is some kind of database then advancing forces of the enemy may lay its hands on the database and go house to house and disarm everybody.

[xl_target]

Gun registry databases like that are a absolutely stupid idea. They will always tell you that it is for crime control. Look at Canada, they spent billions (yes, billions) of dollars on their database and were unable to solve any crimes with it. At least for them, sanity has prevailed and they are dismantling their long gun registry.
Gun registry's are about control, period. They have nothing to so with crime solving, even when you involve a dedicated, honest, service oriented police force and throw massive amounts of resources at it. There is one very simple reason why they don't work; the only people who register their guns are honest, law abiding citizens. These people rarely, if ever, commit crimes. Criminals don't care about registries and don't register their firearms anyway. Do not believe it when they tell you that this is a crime fighting tool.

Gun registries have been proven absolutely useless as a crime fighting tool. Historically, they seem to exist for one reason only; to be able to impound (at any time they want to) or confiscate the guns of people who are on the list. Do not fall into the trap of believing that they are crime control tools.

[varunik]

Why on earth are they making it open to public?! Isnt that against constitution?

[xl_target]

Why on earth are they making it open to public?! Isnt that against constitution?

You have to realize that many civil servants care very little about the constitution (and I'm not talking just about India here). It is just an inconvenient check to their power, best circumvented if possible. They will keep doing it till someone actually have the gonads to take them to court on it.