Section List

Act Number: 53

Act Name: The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

Year: 1972

Enactment Date: 1972-09-09

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.

Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Department:

Section NumberTitleActions
1Short title, extent and commencement.
2Definitions.
3Appointment of Director and other officers.
4Appointment of Life Warden and other officers.
5Power to delegate.
5A Constitution of the National Board for Wild Life.
5BStanding Committee of the National Board.
5CFunctions of the National Board.
6Constitution of State Board for Wild Life.
7Procedure to be followed by the Board
8Duties of State Board for Wild Life.
9Prohibition of hunting.
10Omitted..
11Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases.
12Grant of permit for special purposes.
13 Omitted..
14Omitted..
15Omitted..
16Omitted..
17Omitted..
17A Prohibition of picking, uprooting, etc. of specified plant.
17B Grants of permit for special purposes.
17C Cultivation of specified plants without licence prohibited.
17D Dealing in specified plants without licence prohibited.
17E Declaration of stock.
17F Possession, etc., of plants by licensee
17GPurchase, etc., of specified plants.
17HPlants to be Government property.
18Declaration of sanctuary.
18AProtection to sanctuaries
18BAppointment of Collectors.
19Collector to determine rights.
20Bar of accrual of rights.
21 Proclamation by Collector.
22Inquiry by Collector.
23 Powers of Collector.
24Acquisition of rights.
25Acquisition proceedings.
25A Time-limit for completion of acquisition proceedings.
26Delegation of Collector's powers.
26A Declaration of area as sanctuary.
27Restriction on entry in sanctuary.
28Grant of permit.
29Destruction, etc., in a sanctuary prohibited without a permit.
30Causing fire prohibited.
31 Prohibition of entry into sanctuary with weapon.
32Ban on use of injurious substances.
33Control of sanctuaries.
33A Immunisation of live-stock.
33B Advisory Committee.
34Registration of certain persons in possession of arms.
35Declaration of National Parks.
36Omitted..
36ADeclaration and management of a conservation reserve.
36B Conservation reserve management committee.
36C Declaration and management of community reserve.
36DCommunity reserve management committee.
37Omitted..
38Power of Central Government to declare areas as sanctuaries or National Parks or conservation reserves.
38A Constitution of Central Zoo Authority
38BTerm of office and conditions of service of Chairperson and members, etc.
38C Functions of the Authority
38DProcedure to be regulated by the Authority.
38EGrants and loans to Authority and Constitution of Fund.
38F Annual report.
38GAnnual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament.
38H Recognition of zoos.
38IAcquisition of animals by a zoo.
38JProhibition of teasing, etc., in a zoo.
38KDefinitions
38LConstitution of National Tiger Conservation Authority.
38M Term of office and conditions of service of members.
38NOfficers and employees of Tiger Conservation Authority.
38O Powers and functions of Tiger Conservation Authority.
38P Procedure to be regulated by Tiger Conservation Authority.
38Q Grants and loans to Tiger Conservation Authority and Constitution of Fund.
38RAccounts and audit of Tiger Conservation Authority.
38SAnnual report of Tiger Conservation Authority.
38TAnnual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament.
38UConstitution of Steering Committee.
38VTiger Conservation Plan.
38W Alteration and de-notification of tiger reserves.
38XEstablishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
38YConstitution of Wild Life Crime Control Bureau.
38ZPowers and functions of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
39Wild animals, etc., to be Government property.
40Declarations
40A Immunity in certain cases.
41Inquiry and preparation of inventories.
42Certificate of ownership.
43Regulation of transfer of animal, etc.
44Dealings in trophy and animal articles without licence prohibited.
45Suspension or cancellation of licences.
46Purchase.
47Maintenance of records.
48Purchase of animals, etc., by licensee.
48ARestriction on transportation of wild life.
49Purchase of captive animal, etc., by a person other than a licensee.
49A Definitions.
49B Prohibition of dealings in trophies, animal articles, etc., derived from scheduled animals.
49CDeclaration by dealers.
50Power of entry, search, arrest and detention.
51Penalties.
51A Certain conditions to apply while granting bail.
52Attempts and abetment.
53 Punishment for wrongful seizure.
55Cognizance of offences.
56Operation of other laws not barred.
57Presumption to be made in certain cases.
58Offences by Companies.
58AApplication.
58BDefinitions.
58CProhibition of holding illegally acquired property.
58DCompetent authority.
58E Identifying illegally acquired property.
58F Seizure or freezing of illegally acquired property.
58GManagement of properties seized or forfeited under this Chapter.
58H Notice of forfeiture of property.
58I Forfeiture of property in certain cases
58JBurden of proof.
58KFine in lieu of forfeiture.
58L Procedure in relation to certain trust properties.
58M Certain transfer to be null and void.
58N Constitution of Applellate Tribunal.
58O Appeals.
58P Notice or order not to be invalid for error in description.
58Q Bar of Jurisdiction.
58R Competent Authority and Appellate Tribunal to have powers of civil court.
58S Information to competent authority.
58TCertain officers to assist Administrator, competent authority and Appellate Tribunal.
58UPower to take possession.
58VRectification of mistakes.
58WFindings under other laws not conclusive for proceedings under this Chapter.
58XService of notices and orders.
58Y Punishment for acquiring property in relating to which proceeings have been taken under this Chapter.
59Officers to be public servants.
60Protection of action taken in good faith.
60A Reward to persons.
60BReward by State Government.
61Power to alter entries in Schedules
62Declaration of certain wild animals to be vermin.
63Power of Central Government to make rules
64Power of State Government to make rules.
65Rights of Scheduled Tribes to be protected.
66Repeal and savings.
54Power to compound offences.
6AStanding Committee of Board.
38XAProvisions of Chapter to be in addition to provisions relating to sanctuaries and National Park.
42A Surrender of captive animals, animal article, etc
49DDefinitions.
49E Designation of Management Authority
49F Designation of Scientific Authority.
49GDirections of Central Government.
49HInternational trade in Scheduled specimen and restriction in respect thereof
49-IConditions for scheduled specimens.
49JConditions for import of scheduled specimens
49K Conditions for re-export of scheduled specimens.
49L Conditions for introfuction from sea of scheduled specimens.
49MPossession transfer and breeding of living scheduled animal species.
49NApplication for Licence by breeders of Appendix I species
49-OLicence of breeders of Appendix I species.
49PProhibition on alteration, etc.
49QSpecies and scheduled specimens to be Government property
49RApplication of provisions of Act in respect of species listed in Schedule I or II and Schedule IV.
62ARegulation or prohibition of import, etc., of invasive alien species.
62BPower to issue directions.
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