Armed Forces (Emergency Duties) Act, 1947
1. Short title and extent
2. Emergency duties of Armed Forces
3. Validation of certain past commands
[20th March, 1947]

An Act to enable duties in connection with vital services to be imposed in an emergency on the Armed Forces [* * *].

Whereas it is expedient to enable duties in connection with vital services to be imposed in the emergency on the Armed Forces [* * *].

It is hereby enacted as follows:-—

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY 6

FACT SHEET 6

1. Short title and extent .— [*] This Act may be called The Armed Forces (Emergency Duties) Act, 1947.

[* * *]

Object & Reasons6

2. Emergency duties of Armed Forces .—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare any specified service [in a State ]to be a service of vital importance to the community:

Provided that such notification shall remain in force for one month in the first instance, but may be extended, from time to time, by a like notification.

(2) Upon a declaration being made under sub-section (1) and until it is rescinded, it shall be the duty of every person subject to [the Army Act, 1950, or the Air Force Act, 1950], or [* * *] [the Navy Act, 1957 ]to obey any command given by any superior officer in relation to employment upon or in connection with the services specified in the declaration, and every such command shall be deemed to be a lawful command within the meaning and for the purposes of the said Acts.

3. Validation of certain past commands .—Every command given, after the 30th day of September, 1946, and before the commencement of this Act, to any person referred to in sub-section (2) of section 2 by any superior officer in relation to employment upon or in connection with any such service as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in his behalf, shall be deemed to have been a lawful command within the meaning and for the purposes of the Acts referred to in that sub-section, so, however, that no such person shall be punished by reason only of his not having obeyed any such command.