16.(1) Any person possessing arms, ammunition or military stores the possession whereof has, in consequence of the cancellation or expiry of a license or of an exemption or by the issue of a notification under section 15 or otherwise, become unlawful, shall without unnecessary delay deposit the same either with the officer in charge of the nearest police-station or, at his option and subject to such conditions as the Government may by rule prescribe, with a licensed dealer. (2) When arms, ammunition or military stores have been deposited under sub-section (1) ¹[* * *] the depositor shall, at any time before the expiry of such period as the Government may by rule prescribe, be entitled-(a) to receive back anything so deposited the possession of which by him has become lawful, and(b) to dispose, or authorize the disposal, of anything so deposited by sale or otherwise to any person whose possession of the same would be lawful; and to receive the proceeds of any such sale: Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to authorize the return or disposal of anything the confiscation of which has been directed under section, 24. (3) All things deposited as aforesaid and not returned or disposed of under sub-section (2) within the prescribed period therein referred to shall be forfeited to Government.(4) (a) The Government may make rules consistent with this Act for carrying into effect the provisions of this section.(b) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the Government may by rule prescribed-(i) the conditions subject to which arms, ammunition and military stores may be deposited with a licensed dealer, and(ii) the period after the expiry of which things deposited as aforesaid shall be forfeited under sub-section (3).