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.
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has 164 sections in 13 chapters, amended 13 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 PDF
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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).
All sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
Chapter I: PRELIMINARY
Chapter II: AUTHORITIES TO BE APPOINTED OR CONSTITUTES UNDER THE ACT
- 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
Chapter III: HUNTING OF WILD ANIMALS
- Section 9 – Prohibition of hunting
- Section 10 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- Section 11 – Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases
- Section 12 – Grant of permit for special purposes
- Section 13 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- Section 14 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- Section 15 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- Section 16 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- Section 17 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
Chapter IV: CHAPTER IV
- 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
- Section 35 – Declaration of National Parks
- Section 36 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- 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 37 – Omitted (omitted/repealed)
- Section 38 – Power of Central Government to declare areas as sanctuaries or National Parks or conservation reserves
Chapter IV: NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY
- 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
Chapter IV: TIGER AND OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES CRIME CONTROL BUREAU
- Section 38Y – Constitution of Wild Life Crime Control Bureau
- Section 38Z – Powers and functions of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau
Chapter V: TRADE OR COMMERCE IN WILD ANIMALS, ANIMAL ARTICLES AND TROPHIES
- 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 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
- 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
Chapter VI: PREVENTION AND DETECTION OF OFFENCES
- 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
Chapter VII: MISCELLANEOUS
- 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
Chapter IIIA: PROTECTION OF SPECIFIED PLANTS
- 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
Chapter IVA: CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY AND RECOGNITION OF ZOOS
- 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
Chapter VA: PROHIBITION OF TRADE OR COMMERCE IN TROPHIES, ANIMAL ARTICLES, ETC., DERIVED FROM CERTAIN ANIMALS
- Section 49A – Definitions
- 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
Chapter VIA: FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY DERIVED FROM ILLEGAL HUNTING AND TRADE
- 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