The Armed Forces (Emergency Duties) Act, 1947

1* * * This Act may be called the Armed Forces (Emergency Duties)Act, 1947. 2* * * * * *

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, declare any specified service 1[in a State] to be a service of vital importance to thecommunity: Provided that such notification shall remain in force for one month in the first instance, but may beextended, 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 (2) Upon a declaration being made under sub-section (1) and until it is rescinded, it shall be the dutyof every person subject to 2[the Army Act, 1950 (46 of 1950) or the Air Force Act, 1950 (45 of 1950)],or 3* * * 4[the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957)], to obey any command given by any superior officer inrelation to employment upon or in connection with the service specified in the declaration; and every suchcommand shall be deemed to be a lawful command within the meaning and for the purposes of thesaid Acts.

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