ANDHRA PRADESH (TELANGANA AREA)(SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS) ACT, 1950

7 of 1950

Whereas it is expendient to regulate and restrict the slaughter of animals for human consumption; It is hereby enacted as follows:-

Section 1 Short title, extent and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the A.P. (T.A.) (Slaughter of Animals) Act, 1950.

(2) It extends to all Municipal and Town areas in the Telangana Area of State of A.P., and shall come into force in each such area from such date as Government may by notification in the official Gazette appoint in respect of the area.

Section 2 Definitions

In this Act unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context:

(1) "animal" includes such animals only as Government may by notification in Official Gazette declare to be animals for the purposes of this Act;

(2) "Municipal area" means an area which is for the time being a Municipality for the purposes of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) District Municipalities Act, 1956;

(3) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(4) "Town area" means an area which is for the time being a Small Town for the purposes of the Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) District Municipalities Act, 1956 or which the Government has by notification in the Official Gazette declared to be a town area for the purposes of this Act;

(5) "Veterinary Officer" means an officer or person appointed under Section 3.

Section 3 Appointment of Veterinary Officers

Government may by notification in the Official Gazette appoint any officer or person to be the Veterinary Officer for an area in which this Act is for the time being in force.

Section 4 Restriction on slaughter of animals for human consumption

In an area in which this Act is for the time being in force, no person shall slaughter, or procure the slaughter of, any animal for human consumption otherwise than:

(1) on the authority of a certificate granted by the Veterinary Officer for the area that the animal is fit for slaughter; and

(2) in a slaughter house licensed for the slaughter of animals for human consumption.

Section 5 Grant of certificates

(2) Government may of its own motion, or on the application of any person aggrieved by the refusal of a Veterinary Officer to grant the certificate referred to in clause (1) of Section 4, call for the papers relating to the refusal and pass such orders as it thinks fit.

(3) Save as provided in sub section (2) the opinion of the Veterinary Officer on all the questions on which he is required by sub section (1) to form an opinion shall be final and shall not be called in question in any court.

(4) The certificate referred to in Clause (1) of Section 4 shall be granted in such form and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.

Section 6 Power to inspect premises

(1) For the purposes of this Act a Veterinary Officer or person authorised by him in this behalf shall have power to enter and inspect any premises or other place whereat he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act has been or is likely to be committed.

(2) Every person on the premises or the other place shall allow the Veterinary Officer or the person authorised access to, and to inspect the premises or the other place and answer truthfully any question asked of him.

Section 7 Penalties

Whoever does any act in contravention of Section 4 or Section 6 shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Section 8 Offence to be cognizable

Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Central Act 5 of 1898), every offence punishable under Section 7 shall be cognizable.

Section 9 Veterinary Officer to be public servant

Every Veterinary Officer shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Central Act 45 of 1860).

Section 10 Protection of persons acting in good faith under the Act or rules

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall be instituted against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act, or the rules made thereunder.

Section 11 Rules

(1) Subject to the condition of previous publication Government may by notification in the Official Gazette make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

(3) Rules made under clause (b) of sub section (2) may provide that a contravention of the conditions of a licence shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees.

Section 12 Delegation of powers

Government may by notification in the Official Gazette delegate:-

(i) to any local authority the powers and functions of Government under Section 3 within the local area subject to the jurisdiction of the local authority;

(ii) to any officer of Government the powers and functions of Government under sub section (2) of Section 5.

Section 13 Effect of this Act on Act XVIII of 1956

(1) In any area in which this Act is for the time being in force, a licence granted under Section 209 of the A.P. (Telangana Area) District Municipalities Act, 1956), (XVIII of 1956) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act) for the use of premises fixed under that sub section for the slaughter of animals shall not apply to the use of such premises for the slaughter for human consumption of animals for the time being declared to be animals for the purposes of this Act.

(2) Subject to the provisions of sub section (1) nothing in this Act or in the said Act shall be deemed to preclude the licensing as a slaughter house for the purposes of this Act of premises fixed for the slaughter of animals under Section 209 of the said Act or such fixing as aforesaid of premises so licensed.