317.—(1) No person shall, save with the consent in writing of a Minister of State, enter or land in the State while wearing any foreign uniform.

(2) No person shall, save with the consent in writing of a Minister of State, go into any public place in the State while wearing any foreign uniform.

(3) A Minister of State may from time to time direct that subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall not during a specified period apply in respect of any particular class (defined in such manner as he thinks fit) of persons, and in that case the said subsections shall not apply during that period in respect of that class of persons.

(4) Every person who contravenes (by act or omission) any provision in subsections (1) or (2) of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding F409[250] pounds or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

(5) Nothing in this section shall restrict, or apply in respect of, the wearing of any uniform by the head of any diplomatic mission duly accredited to the State or by any member of the diplomatic staff of such mission whose appointment as such has been officially notified to the Minister for External Affairs or who is otherwise entitled to diplomatic immunities.

(6) Nothing in this section shall restrict, or apply in respect of, the wearing of any foreign uniform in the course of a stage play or other dramatic representation or performance.

(7) In this section—

the expression “foreign uniform” means the uniform of any armed force of any other State whether operating by land, sea or air, and includes any distinctive part of any such uniform;

the expression “public place” includes any street, road, park or other similar place, and also any place or building to which the public have access on payment of a charge for admission.