Bare Acts

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

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.

वन्‍य जीव (संरक्षण) अधिनियम, 1972

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Act Details

Act Number:

Act Year:

1972

Location:

Enactment Date:

9/9/1972

Ministry:

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

All Section List

PRELIMINARY

Section 1 to Section 2

Section 1

Short title, extent and commencement.

Section 2

Definitions.

AUTHORITIES TO BE APPOINTED OR CONSTITUTES UNDER THE ACT

Section 3 to Section 8

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 7

Procedure to be followed by the Board

Section 8

Duties of State Board for Wild Life.

HUNTING OF WILD ANIMALS

Section 9 to Section 17

Section 9

Prohibition of hunting.

Section 10

Omitted..

Section 11

Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases.

Section 12

Grant of permit for special purposes.

Section 13

Section 14

Section 15

Section 16

Section 17

PROTECTION OF SPECIFIED PLANTS

Section 17A to Section 17H

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.

Sanctuaries

Section 18 to Section 34

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.

Section 33A

Immunisation of live-stock.

Section 33B

Advisory Committee.

Section 34

Registration of certain persons in possession of arms.

Natioanl Parks

Section 35 to Section 36D

Section 35

Declaration of National Parks.

Section 36

Omitted..

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.

Closed Area

Section 37

Omitted..

Sanctuaries or National Parks declared by Central Government

Section 38

Power of Central Government to declare areas as sanctuaries or National Parks or conservation reserves.

CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY AND RECOGNITION OF ZOOS

Section 38A to Section 38J

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.

NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY

Section 38K to Section 38X

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.

TIGER AND OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES CRIME CONTROL BUREAU

Section 38Y to Section 38Z

Section 38Y

Constitution of Wild Life Crime Control Bureau.

Section 38Z

Powers and functions of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.

TRADE OR COMMERCE IN WILD ANIMALS, ANIMAL ARTICLES AND TROPHIES

Section 39 to Section 49

Section 39

Wild animals, etc., to be Government property.

Section 40

Declarations

Section 40A

Immunity in certain cases.

Section 41

Inquiry and preparation of inventories.

Section 42

Certificate of ownership.

Section 43

Regulation of transfer of animal, etc.

Section 44

Dealings in trophy and animal articles without licence prohibited.

Section 45

Suspension or cancellation of licences.

Section 46

Purchase.

Section 47

Maintenance of records.

Section 48

Purchase of animals, etc., by licensee.

Section 48A

Restriction on transportation of wild life.

Section 49

Purchase of captive animal, etc., by a person other than a licensee.

PROHIBITION OF TRADE OR COMMERCE IN TROPHIES, ANIMAL ARTICLES, ETC., DERIVED FROM CERTAIN ANIMALS

Section 49A to Section 49C

Section 49A

Definitions.

Section 49B

Prohibition of dealings in trophies, animal articles, etc., derived from scheduled animals.

Section 49C

Declaration by dealers.

PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF OFFENCES

Section 50 to Section 58

Section 50

Power of entry, search, arrest and detention.

Section 51

Penalties.

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.

Section 56

Operation of other laws not barred.

Section 57

Presumption to be made in certain cases.

Section 58

Offences by Companies.

FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY DERIVED FROM ILLEGAL HUNTING AND TRADE

Section 58A to Section 58Y

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.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 59 to Section 66

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 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.