L. A. BILL No. XXIV OF 2026.
A BILL
further to amend the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, in its application
to the State of Maharashtra.
WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Wild Life (Protection) Act,
1972, in its application to the State of Maharashtra, for the purposes hereinafter
appearing; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of
India as follows :–
1. (1) This Act may be called the Wild Life (Protection) (Maharashtra
Amendment) Act, 2026.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
53 of
1972.
Short title and
commencement.
RNI No. MAHENG /2009/35528
महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र
असाधाारण भााग आठ
वर्षष १२, अंक १४]
मंगळवार, मार्चच १७, २०२६/फााल्गुन २६, शकेे १९४७
[पृष्ठे 3, किं�ंमत : रुपयेे २७.००
असाधाारण क्रमांं�क २७
प्रााधि�कृृत प्रकााशन
महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानमंडळाचेे अधि�नि�य
म व रााज्यपाालांं�नी प्रख्यापि�त केलेले अध्यादेेश व केलेले
वि�नि�य
म आणि� वि�धि� व न्याय वि�भाागाकडून आलेली वि�धेेयकेे (इंंग्रजी अनुवाद).
In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation
in English of the Wild Life (Protection) (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2026 (L. A. Bill No. XXIV
of 2026), introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the 17th March 2026, is hereby
published under the authority of the Governor.
By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,
SATISH WAGHOLE,
Secretary (Legislation) to Government,
Law and Judiciary Department.
(१)
भााग आठ-२७—१
2
महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा
असाधारण भाग आठ, मार्च १७, २०२६/फाल्गुन २६, शके १९
2. In section 12 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, in its application
to the State of Maharashtra, in the proviso,–
(i) in clause (a), after the words and figure “in Schedule I” the words,
figures and letter “excluding Leopard Panthera pardus specified in entry
at serial No. 43 in Part A: MAMMALS in Schedule I,” shall be inserted;
(ii) in clause (b), after the words “any other wild animal” the words,
figures and letter “including Leopard Panthera pardus specified in entry
at serial No. 43 in Part A: MAMMALS in Schedule I,” shall be inserted.
Amendment
of section 12
of 53 of 1972.
53 of
1972.
महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा
असाधारण भाग आठ, मार्च १७, २०२६/फाल्गुन २६, शके १९
3
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (53 of 1972) provides for the protection
of wild animals and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental
thereto with a view to ensure the ecological and environmental security of the
country. This Act alongwith the Maharashtra Wild Life (Protection) Rules,
2014 and associated Forest Acts and Rules, contains stringent provisions to
strengthen conservation of the wildlife. Due to strict conservation and protection
measures, the population of wild animals especially leopards has been increasing
in the State.
2. In many forest areas of the State, population of the leopard has
increased beyond carrying capacity of that area. This often leads to fights
amongst them for territorial supremacy, in which weaker leopard leaves the
territory and get displaced into non-forest areas adjacent to the forests.
Leopards are highly adaptable and opportunistic predators with respect
to their habitat needs and food requirements, therefore they are found in
agricultural fields, trees and bushes and near human habitation. Leopards
have established such areas as their territories and they also breed in such
non-forest regions. The survival rate of leopard cubs is more compared to other
cubs of wild animal of felidea family. Such leopards come to human habitat for
domestic animals who are easy prey for them and also attack humans leading
to frequent and escalating human-wildlife conflicts.
3. Section 12 of the said Act provides that the Chief Wild Life Warden
may with the previous permission of the Central Government, grant permit
for hunting (which includes capture and relocation) in respect of any wild
animal specified in Schedule I of the said Act, for the purposes of scientific
management which includes translocation of any wild animal to an alternative
suitable habitat, population management of wild life, etc. Leopard is specified in
entry 43 in Schedule I appended to the said Act. Therefore, in cases of human-
leopard conflict the Chief Wildlife Warden cannot take steps for population
management or translocation of leopards under the said section 12 without
permission of the Central Government. This highly regulated cumbersome
process is time consuming and causing delay in effective scientific management
and translocation of leopards as well as in dealing with human-leopard conflict
in the State.
The Government, therefore, considers it expedient to amend section 12
of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, suitably, to enable the Chief Wildlife
Warden to take necessary steps for scientific management of leopards which
include translocation and population management with the permission of the
State Government.
4. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.
Mumbai,
GANESH NAIK,
Dated the 16th March 2026.
Minister for Forests.
ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR,
RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,
MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS,
21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.