THE PUNJAB PROHIBITION OF COW SLAUGHTER ACT, 1955

> g PUNJAB PROHIBITION OF COW TH SLAUGHTER ACT, 1955 M7] THE PUNJAB PROHIBITIO rC SLAUGHTER ACT, 1946 =m TABLE OF CONTENTS Sections 1. Short title, extent and commencement, 2, Definitions. 3, Prohibition of cow slaughter. 4, Exceptions, 5, Prohibition of sale of beef. 6. Establishment of institutions. 7. Levy of charges of fees. 8. Penalty. 9. Burden of proof. 10, Offences te be cognizable and non-bailable. 11. Power to make rules, © Scanned with OKEN Scanner 1956 : Pb. Act XV] PROHIBITION OF COW SLAUGHTER; 379 ‘THE PUNJAB PROHIBITION OF CO SLAUGHTER ACT, 1935. " PUNJAB ACT NO. XV_ OF 1956. Received the assent of the President on the 21st June, 1956, and first published in the Punjab Gazette (Extra- ordinary) of the 27th June, 1956]. —— —— 1 2 3 4 Year | No. Short title Whether repealed or otherwise affected by legislation. 1956, XV_ | The Punjab Prohibition of | Extended to the territories © which Cow Slaughter Act, 1955 immediately before the 1st November, 1956, were comprised in the State of Patiala and East Punjab States Union by Punjab Act No. 5 of 1959.? Amended by the Punjab Reorganisation (Chandigarh) (Adaptation of Laws on State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1968. AN ' ACT to prohibit the slaughter of cow and its progeny in Punjab BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows :— Short title, extent 1. (J) This Act may be called the Punjab Prohi- and commence- bition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955. ment, (2) It extends to the Union Territory of Chandi- a garh]. — . > opp P For Statement of Objects and Reasons, s¢¢ | (Extraordinary), 1955, dated the 7th October, 15). ¢For Statement of Objects and Reasons, se¢ (Extraordinary), 1958, page 1487. State of Punjab” by the Panjab Reorgantsation 8 iystituted for the words ; ; ay (Chandigarh) (Agaptation of Liuws on State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1968. uniab Government Gazelte Punjab Government Gazette © Scanned with OKEN Scanner 380 PROHIBITION OF COW SLAUGHTER [1956 spy, a. is * Age Ky (3) Tt shall come into force at Once. Definitions. 2. In this Act, unless there js ‘nything re in the subject or contex{— PURHan, (a) “beef means flesh of COW in r does not include flesh Cow o'm by in sealed Containers and import, "Next 'TUnion Territory of “handigarny", Nty (4) beef-products include €Xtraction from bees ef. f ‘ $9 » ) “Cow Includes a bull . (c) * sai ; bullock, Ox, heitey (a) “prescribed” means Prescribed by rules jp, under this Act : made (ec) “slaughter” means killing Y an , Whatsoever and Includes imine tod (f) “Government ”* me€ans the “[Central Govern. ment] ; and (g) “uneconomic COW” includes Stray, unpro- lected, inf Irm, disabled, diseased or barren cow, Prohibiuon of cow slaughter, 3. Not withstanding anything Contained in any othet ce or any usage or custom to > MO Person shall slaughter or Cause to be slau- Shtered or offer or Cause to be offered for slaughter any COW in “ny place jn Union Territory of Chandigarh] : . Provided that killing of a Cow by accident or in self defence Will not be Cc Act Onsidered as Slaughter under the ct, Se eee Substituted for the Word “Punjab” by the p garh) (Adaptation or] ; hey . . andi unjab Reorganisation (Chan Ws Of Stite Wd Concurrent Subjects ) Order, 1968, *Substituteg lor the Words “State Government » by ibid. CG Scanned with OKEN Scanner eo proHiBITION OF COW 1956 : Bb. Act XV{ 38: SLAUGHTER 4. (2) Nothing in section 3 shall apply to the — exceptions. slaughter of a CoW— (a) whose suffering is such as to render its des- (ruction desirable according to the}, cer- tificate of the Veterinary Officer of the area or such other Officer of the Animal Husbandry Department as may be pres- cribed ; or (b) which is suffering from any contagious or infectious disease notified as such by the Government ; or (c) which is subjected to experimentation in the interest of medical and public health re- search by a certified medical practitioner -of the Animal Husbandry Department. (2) Where it is intended to slaughter a cow for the reasons specified in clause (a) or clause (6) of sub- section (7) it shall be incumbent for a person doing so to obtain the prior permission in writing of the Veteri- nary Officer of the area or such other Officer of the Animal Husbandry Department as may be prescribed. 5. Except as herein excepted and notwithstanding Prohibition of sale anything contained in any other law for the time being °°" in force, no person shall sell or offer for sale or cause to be sold beef or beef products in any form except for such medicinal purposes as may be prescribed. 6. There shall be established by the Government Establishment of or by any local authority, when so directed by the Go- ssemurions. vernment, institutions for the reception, maintenance and care of uneconomic cows. 7. The {Central Government] or the local authority, Levy of charges if so authorised, may levy such fees as may be prescribed of fees. for care and maintenance of uneconomic cows In the institution. . . ‘ nme rthe Punjab Reorganisa- 1Substituted for the words “State Government ”* by the Punjad ss tion (Chandigarh) (Adaptation of Laws on State and Concurrent Subjects) Order, 1968. © Scanned with OKEN Scanner ~*~ 382 PROHIBITION OF COW SLAUGHTER [1956 Ph ] Act yy Penalty. 8. (/) Whoever contravenes of alley (ravene or abels the contravention of of section 3 or 5 shall be guilly of an offence Pro. with rigorous imprisonment for a term hin Shable exlend to two years or with fine Which may exte2 ch May thousand rupees or with both. nd (2) Whoever fails to lodge the information manner and within the time stated in sub-section” N the section 4 shall be guilty of an offence Punishabic ) of simple imprisonment for a term Which may ext © with one year or with fine which may extend to two a9 to red rupees or with both. hund. Burden of proof, (3) In any trial for an, offence Punishable y sub-section (/) or sub-section (2) the burden of prow that the slaughtered cow belonged to the class speci’ in Clause (a) or (6) of Sub-section (7) of Section 4 shalj rs on the accused. \ © Offences to be 9. Notwithstanding anything contained in the aes "t Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, an offence Punishable under sub-section (J) of section 8 shal] be cognisable and non-bailable. Power to make i0. (1) The [Centra] Government] ‘may make rules a for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of foregoing Powers, such rules may provide for— (a) the conditions and the circumstances under which cows may bé slaughtered under sub-section (7) ‘of section 4 ; (b) the manner in which diseases shall be notified under sub-section (/) (6) of section 4: (c) the manner in which permission shall be obtained under sub-section (2) of section 4; a (d) the form and contents of the certificate po = , * yrgunt, Substituted for the words "State Government” by the Puna order: sation (Chandfgarh) (Adaptation of Law on State and Concurrent Subjects. 1968, - © Scanned with OKEN Scanner - 1956 : Pb. Act XV] PROHIBITION oF Cow SLAUGHTER 383 mentioned in sub-clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 4 and the authorities com- petant to grant it ; (e) the manner in which and conditions under which beef or beef products are to be sold under section 5 : (f) the matters relating to the establishment, main- (enance, management, supervision and control of institutions referred to in sec- tion 6 ; (g) the duties of any officer or authority having jurisdiction under this Act, the procedure to be followed by such officer or autho- rity ; and (h) the matters which are to be and may be pres- cribed. © Scanned with OKEN Scanner