The WILD LIFE (PROTECTION) ACT, 1972

PRELIMINARY

Section 1 — Short title, extent and commencement.

(1) This Act may be called the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. (2) It extends to the whole of India[Omitted .]

(3) It shall come into force in a State or Union territory to which it extends[Omitted] on such date as the Central Government may, by notification, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act or for different States or Union territories.

Browse all 152 sections
  1. 1.Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. 2.Definitions.
  3. 3.Appointment of Director and other officers.
  4. 4.Appointment of Life Warden and other officers.
  5. 5.Power to delegate.
  6. 5A.Constitution of the National Board for Wild Life.
  7. 5B.Standing Committee of the National Board.
  8. 5C.Functions of the National Board.
  9. 6.Constitution of State Board for Wild Life.
  10. 7.Procedure to be followed by the Board.
  11. 8.Duties of State Board for Wild Life.
  12. 9.Prohibition of hunting.
  13. 10.[Omitted.].
  14. 11.Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases.
  15. 12.Grant of permit for special purposes.
  16. 13.[Omitted.].
  17. 14.[Omitted.].
  18. 15.[Omitted.].
  19. 16.[Omitted.].
  20. 17.[Omitted.].
  21. 17A.Prohibition of picking, uprooting, etc. of specified plant.
  22. 17B.Grants of permit for special purposes.
  23. 17C.Cultivation of specified plants without licence prohibited.
  24. 17D.Dealing in specified plants without licence prohibited.
  25. 17E.Declaration of stock.
  26. 17F.Possession, etc., of plants by licensee.
  27. 17G.Purchase, etc., of specified plants.
  28. 17H.Plants to be Government property.
  29. 18.Declaration of sanctuary.
  30. 18A.Protection to sanctuaries.
  31. 18B.Appointment of Collectors.
  32. 19.Collector to determine rights.
  33. 20.Bar of accrual of rights.
  34. 21.Proclamation by Collector.
  35. 22.Inquiry by Collector.
  36. 23.Powers of Collector.
  37. 24.Acquisition of rights.
  38. 25.Acquisition proceedings.
  39. 25A.Time-limit for completion of acquisition proceedings.
  40. 26.Delegation of Collector’s powers.
  41. 26A.Declaration of area as sanctuary.
  42. 27.Restriction on entry in sanctuary.
  43. 28.Grant of permit.
  44. 29.Destruction, etc., in a sanctuary prohibited without a permit.
  45. 30.Causing fire prohibited.
  46. 31.Prohibition of entry into sanctuary with weapon.
  47. 32.Ban on use of injurious substances.
  48. 33.Control of sanctuaries.
  49. 33A.Immunisation of live-stock.
  50. 33B.Advisory Committee.
  51. 34.Registration of certain persons in possession of arms.
  52. 35.Declaration of National Parks.
  53. 36.[Omitted.].
  54. 36A.Declaration and management of a conservation reserve.
  55. 36B.Conservation reserve management committee.
  56. 36C.Declaration and management of community reserve.
  57. 36D.Community reserve management committee.
  58. 37.[Omitted.].
  59. 38.Power of Central Government to declare areas as sanctuaries or National Parks.
  60. 38A.Constitution of Central Zoo Authority.
  61. 38B.Term of office and conditions of service of Chairperson and members, etc.
  62. 38C.Functions of the Authority.
  63. 38D.Procedure to be regulated by the Authority.
  64. 38E.Grants and loans to Authority and Constitution of Fund.
  65. 38F.Annual report.
  66. 38G.Annual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament.
  67. 38H.Recognition of zoos.
  68. 38I.Acquisition of animals by a zoo.
  69. 38J.Prohibition of teasing, etc., in a zoo.
  70. 38K.Definitions.
  71. 38L.Constitution of National Tiger Conservation Authority.
  72. 38M.Term of office and conditions of service of members.
  73. 38N.Officers and employees of Tiger Conservation Authority.
  74. 38-O.Powers and functions of Tiger Conservation Authority.
  75. 38P.Procedure to be regulated by Tiger Conservation Authority.
  76. 38Q.Grants and loans to Tiger Conservation Authority and Constitution of Fund.
  77. 38R.Accounts and audit of Tiger Conservation Authority.
  78. 38S.Annual report of Tiger Conservation Authority.
  79. 38T.Annual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament.
  80. 38U.Constitution of Steering Committee.
  81. 38V.Tiger Conservation Plan.
  82. 38W.Alteration and de-notification of tiger reserves.
  83. 38X.Establishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
  84. 38Y.Constitution of Tiger and other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau.
  85. 38Z.Powers and functions of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
  86. 39.Wild animals, etc., to be Government property.
  87. 40.Declarations.
  88. 40A.Immunity in certain cases.
  89. 41.Inquiry and preparation of inventories.
  90. 42.Certificate of ownership.
  91. 43.Regulation of transfer of animal, etc.
  92. 44.Dealings in trophy and animal articles without licence prohibited.
  93. 45.Suspension or cancellation of licences.
  94. 46.Purchase.
  95. 47.Maintenance of records.
  96. 48.Purchase of animals, etc., by licensee.
  97. 48A.Restriction on transportation of wild life.
  98. 49.Purchase of captive animal, etc., by a person other than a licensee.
  99. 49A.Definitions.
  100. 49B.Prohibition of dealings in trophies, animal articles, etc., derived from scheduled animals.
  101. 49C.Declaration by dealers.
  102. 50.Power of entry, search, arrest and detention.
  103. 51.Penalties.
  104. 51A.Certain conditions to apply while granting bail.
  105. 52.Attempts and abetment.
  106. 53.Punishment for wrongful seizure.
  107. 54.Power to compound offences.
  108. 55.Cognizance of offences.
  109. 56.Operation of other laws not barred.
  110. 57.Presumption to be made in certain cases.
  111. 58.Offences by Companies.
  112. 58A.Application.
  113. 58B.Definitions.
  114. 58C.Prohibition of holding illegally acquired property.
  115. 58D.Competent authority.
  116. 58E.Identifying illegally acquired property.
  117. 58F.Seizure or freezing of illegally acquired property.
  118. 58G.Management of properties seized or forfeited under this Chapter.
  119. 58H.Notice of forfeiture of property.
  120. 58-I.Forfeiture of property in certain cases.
  121. 58J.Burden of proof.
  122. 58K.Fine in lieu of forfeiture.
  123. 58L.Procedure in relation to certain trust properties.
  124. 58M.Certain transfer to be null and void.
  125. 58N.Constitution of Applellate Tribunal.
  126. 58-O.Appeals.
  127. 58P.Notice or order not to be invalid for error in description.
  128. 58Q.Bar of Jurisdiction.
  129. 58R.Competent Authority and Appellate Tribunal to have powers of civil court.
  130. 58S.Information to competent authority.
  131. 58T.Certain officers to assist Administrator, competent authority and Appellate Tribunal.
  132. 58U.Power to take possession.
  133. 58V.Rectification of mistakes.
  134. 58W.Findings under other laws not conclusive for proceedings under this Chapter.
  135. 58X.Service of notices and orders.
  136. 58Y.Punishment for acquiring property in relating to which proceeings have been taken under this Chapter.
  137. 59.Officers to be public servants.
  138. 60.Protection of action taken in good faith.
  139. 60A.Reward to persons.
  140. 60B.Reward by State Government.
  141. 61.Power to alter entries in Schedules.
  142. 62.Declaration of certain wild animals to be vermin.
  143. 63.Power of Central Government to make rules.
  144. 64.Power of State Government to make rules.
  145. 65.Rights of Scheduled Tribes to be protected.
  146. 66.Repeal and savings.
  147. SCH-SCHEDULE I.SCHEDULE I
  148. SCH-SCHEDULE II.SCHEDULE II
  149. SCH-SCHEDULE III.SCHEDULE III
  150. SCH-SCHEDULE IV.SCHEDULE IV
  151. SCH-SCHEDULE V.SCHEDULE V
  152. SCH-SCHEDULE VI.SCHEDULE VI