The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
Central Act · Act 53 of 1972158 provisions26 citing judgments
The enactment
| Long title | An Act to provide for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto with a view to ensuring the ecological and environmental security of the country. |
|---|---|
| Type | Act |
| Citation | Act 53 of 1972 |
| Year | 1972 |
| Jurisdiction | Central |
| Ministry | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |
| Status | In force as published by the source |
| Provisions published | 158 |
| Subjects | environment |
Full text, provision by provision
Every provision below opens in full, free and without an account.
- Section 1 Short title, extent and commencement.
- Section 2 Definitions.4 citing judgments
- Section 3 Appointment of Director and other officers.
- Section 4 Appointment of Life Warden and other officers.
- Section 5 Power to delegate.
- Section 5A Constitution of the National Board for Wild Life.
- Section 5B Standing Committee of the National Board.
- Section 5C Functions of the National Board.
- Section 6 Constitution of State Board for Wild Life.
- Section 6A Standing Committee of Board.
- Section 7 Procedure to be followed by the Board
- Section 8 Duties of State Board for Wild Life.
- Section 9 Prohibition of hunting.3 citing judgments
- Section 11 Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases.
- Section 12 Grant of permit for special purposes.
- Section 17A Prohibition of picking, uprooting, etc. of specified plant.
- Section 17B Grants of permit for special purposes.
- Section 17C Cultivation of specified plants without licence prohibited.
- Section 17D Dealing in specified plants without licence prohibited.
- Section 17E Declaration of stock.
- Section 17F Possession, etc., of plants by licensee
- Section 17G Purchase, etc., of specified plants.
- Section 17H Plants to be Government property.
- Section 18 Declaration of sanctuary.
- Section 18A Protection to sanctuaries
- Section 18B Appointment of Collectors.
- Section 19 Collector to determine rights.
- Section 20 Bar of accrual of rights.
- Section 21 Proclamation by Collector.
- Section 22 Inquiry by Collector.
- Section 23 Powers of Collector.
- Section 24 Acquisition of rights.
- Section 25 Acquisition proceedings.
- Section 25A Time-limit for completion of acquisition proceedings.
- Section 26 Delegation of Collector's powers.
- Section 26A Declaration of area as sanctuary.
- Section 27 Restriction on entry in sanctuary.
- Section 28 Grant of permit.
- Section 29 Destruction, etc., in a sanctuary prohibited without a permit.
- Section 30 Causing fire prohibited.
- Section 31 Prohibition of entry into sanctuary with weapon.
- Section 32 Ban on use of injurious substances.
- Section 33 Control of sanctuaries.2 citing judgments
- Section 33A Immunisation of live-stock.
- Section 33B Advisory Committee.
- Section 34 Registration of certain persons in possession of arms.
- Section 35 Declaration of National Parks.
- Section 36A Declaration and management of a conservation reserve.
- Section 36B Conservation reserve management committee.
- Section 36C Declaration and management of community reserve.
- Section 36D Community reserve management committee.
- Section 38 Power of Central Government to declare areas as sanctuaries or National Parks or conservation reserves.1 citing judgment
- Section 38A Constitution of Central Zoo Authority
- Section 38B Term of office and conditions of service of Chairperson and members, etc.
- Section 38C Functions of the Authority
- Section 38D Procedure to be regulated by the Authority.
- Section 38E Grants and loans to Authority and Constitution of Fund.
- Section 38F Annual report.
- Section 38G Annual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament.
- Section 38H Recognition of zoos.
- Section 38I Acquisition of animals by a zoo.
- Section 38J Prohibition of teasing, etc., in a zoo.
- Section 38K Definitions
- Section 38L Constitution of National Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Section 38M Term of office and conditions of service of members.
- Section 38N Officers and employees of Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Section 38O Powers and functions of Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Section 38P Procedure to be regulated by Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Section 38Q Grants and loans to Tiger Conservation Authority and Constitution of Fund.
- Section 38R Accounts and audit of Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Section 38S Annual report of Tiger Conservation Authority.
- Section 38T Annual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament.
- Section 38U Constitution of Steering Committee.
- Section 38V Tiger Conservation Plan.
- Section 38W Alteration and de-notification of tiger reserves.
- Section 38X Establishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
- Section 38XA Provisions of Chapter to be in addition to provisions relating to sanctuaries and National Park.
- Section 38Y Constitution of Wild Life Crime Control Bureau.
- Section 38Z Powers and functions of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
- Section 39 Wild animals, etc., to be Government property.2 citing judgments
- Section 40 Declarations1 citing judgment
- Section 40A Immunity in certain cases.1 citing judgment
- Section 41 Inquiry and preparation of inventories.
- Section 42 Certificate of ownership.
- Section 42A Surrender of captive animals, animal article, etc
- Section 43 Regulation of transfer of animal, etc.
- Section 44 Dealings in trophy and animal articles without licence prohibited.1 citing judgment
- Section 45 Suspension or cancellation of licences.
- Section 46 Purchase.
- Section 47 Maintenance of records.
- Section 48 Purchase of animals, etc., by licensee.1 citing judgment
- Section 48A Restriction on transportation of wild life.1 citing judgment
- Section 49 Purchase of captive animal, etc., by a person other than a licensee.
- Section 49-I Conditions for scheduled specimens.
- Section 49-O Licence of breeders of Appendix I species.
- Section 49A Definitions.1 citing judgment
- Section 49B Prohibition of dealings in trophies, animal articles, etc., derived from scheduled animals.
- Section 49C Declaration by dealers.
- Section 49D Definitions.
- Section 49E Designation of Management Authority
- Section 49F Designation of Scientific Authority.
- Section 49G Directions of Central Government.
- Section 49H International trade in Scheduled specimen and restriction in respect thereof
- Section 49J Conditions for import of scheduled specimens
- Section 49K Conditions for re-export of scheduled specimens.
- Section 49L Conditions for introfuction from sea of scheduled specimens.
- Section 49M Possession transfer and breeding of living scheduled animal species.
- Section 49N Application for Licence by breeders of Appendix I species
- Section 49P Prohibition on alteration, etc.
- Section 49Q Species and scheduled specimens to be Government property
- Section 49R Application of provisions of Act in respect of species listed in Schedule I or II and Schedule IV.
- Section 50 Power of entry, search, arrest and detention.2 citing judgments
- Section 51 Penalties.4 citing judgments
- Section 51A Certain conditions to apply while granting bail.
- Section 52 Attempts and abetment.
- Section 53 Punishment for wrongful seizure.
- Section 54 Power to compound offences.
- Section 55 Cognizance of offences.2 citing judgments
- Section 56 Operation of other laws not barred.
- Section 57 Presumption to be made in certain cases.
- Section 58 Offences by Companies.
- Section 58A Application.
- Section 58B Definitions.
- Section 58C Prohibition of holding illegally acquired property.
- Section 58D Competent authority.
- Section 58E Identifying illegally acquired property.
- Section 58F Seizure or freezing of illegally acquired property.
- Section 58G Management of properties seized or forfeited under this Chapter.
- Section 58H Notice of forfeiture of property.
- Section 58I Forfeiture of property in certain cases
- Section 58J Burden of proof.
- Section 58K Fine in lieu of forfeiture.
- Section 58L Procedure in relation to certain trust properties.
- Section 58M Certain transfer to be null and void.
- Section 58N Constitution of Applellate Tribunal.
- Section 58O Appeals.
- Section 58P Notice or order not to be invalid for error in description.
- Section 58Q Bar of Jurisdiction.
- Section 58R Competent Authority and Appellate Tribunal to have powers of civil court.
- Section 58S Information to competent authority.
- Section 58T Certain officers to assist Administrator, competent authority and Appellate Tribunal.
- Section 58U Power to take possession.
- Section 58V Rectification of mistakes.
- Section 58W Findings under other laws not conclusive for proceedings under this Chapter.
- Section 58X Service of notices and orders.
- Section 58Y Punishment for acquiring property in relating to which proceeings have been taken under this Chapter.
- Section 59 Officers to be public servants.
- Section 60 Protection of action taken in good faith.
- Section 60A Reward to persons.
- Section 60B Reward by State Government.
- Section 61 Power to alter entries in Schedules
- Section 62 Declaration of certain wild animals to be vermin.
- Section 62A Regulation or prohibition of import, etc., of invasive alien species.
- Section 62B Power to issue directions.
- Section 63 Power of Central Government to make rules
- Section 64 Power of State Government to make rules.
- Section 65 Rights of Scheduled Tribes to be protected.
- Section 66 Repeal and savings.
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