The Haryana Cattle Fair Act, 1970

THE HARYANA CATTLE FAIRS ACT, 1970 

(Haryana Act No. 30 of 1970) 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Sections 

1. Short title, extent and commencement 

2. Definitions 

3. Bar of holding, etc. of cattle fairs except by or under authority of State 

Government. 

 

4. Fair officers and their duties. 

5. Constitution of Committee. 

6. Power of State Government to impose taxes in fair areas. 

7. Exclusion of jurisdiction of local authorities to impose taxes, etc. 

 

8. Duty of local authorities to assist fair officers. 

9. Levy of fees. 

10. Licensing of brokers. 

11. Power to prohibit entry of certain persons and cattle in fair areas. 

 

12. Out-break of fire. 

13. Power to remove unauthorized Construction. 

14. Ejectment of allottees. 

15. Summary proceedings against persons. 

15. A Restriction on sale and purchase of cattle beyond fair area. 

16. Cattle fair fund. 

17. Penalties. 

18. Cognizance of offences. 

19. Power of seizure and forfeiture of property. 

20. Composition. 

21. Power to make regulations. 

22. Power to make rules. 

23. Act to override other laws. 



THE HARYANA CATTLE FAIRS ACT, 1970 

(HARYANA ACT NO 30 OF 1970) 

1[Received the assent of the President of India on the 18 November, 1970, and 

was first published in the Haryana Government Gazettee (Extraordinary), Of 

the 24th November, 1970]. 

 

1 2 3 4 

Year No. Short title Whether repealed or otherwise affected 

by Legislation  

1970 30 The Haryana 

Cattle Fairs Act, 

1970 

Amended by Haryana Act 36 of 19712 

   Amended by Haryana Act 41 of 19763 

   Amended by Haryana Act 5 of 20014 

   Amended by Haryana Act 24 of 20085. 

   Amended by Haryana Act 25 of 2013.6 

   Amended by Haryana Act 9 of 2017 

 

AN 

ACT  

to provide for the holding , control, management and regulation of 

cattle fairs in the State of Haryana and for matters connected therewith and 

incidental thereto. 

BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Haryana in the 

Twenty-first year of the Republic of India as follows:- 

1. (1) This Act may be called the Haryana Cattle Fairs Act, 1970. 

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Haryana. 

(3) It shall come into force at once. 

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—  

 
1 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Haryana Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 

1960, page 45. 
2 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Haryana Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 

1971, page 1040. 
3 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Haryana Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 

dated 5th November, 1976, page 1794. 
4 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Haryana Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 

dated 27th February, 2001, page 306. 
5 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Haryana Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 

dated 9th May, 2008, page 137. 
6 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Haryana Government Gazette (Extraordinary), 

dated 10th October, 2013, page 125. 

Short title, 

extent and 

commence-

ment  

Definitions

. 



(a) “broker” means a person who strikes a bargain between a seller 

and a purchaser of cattle in any cattle fair on payment of 

commission; 

(b) “cattle “ includes a buffalo, camel, cow, donkey 7[ ] horse, mule, 

and their young-ones and such other animals as the State 

Government may be notification specify; 

(c) “cattle fair” means a gathering of more than twenty persons for the 

purpose of sale or purchase or exhibition for sale or purchase of 

cattle  8[ and includes cattle market]; 

9 [cc) “cattle market” means a place where the business of sale or     

purchase of cattle is regularly conducted]; 

(d) “Deputy Commissioner” includes an additional Deputy 

Commissioner and such other officer as the State  Government 

may be notification appoint for the purpose of exercising the 

powers and performing the functions of a Deputy Commissioner 

under this Act; 

(e) “fair area” means such area within a district as may be specified by 

a fair officer for the purchase of holding a cattle fair therein; 

(f) “fair officer” in relation to the fair area means an officer appointed 

under section 4 for such area; 

(g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act. 

 

3. (1) The right to hold a cattle fair at any place in the State of Haryana 

and to control, manage and regulate such fair shall vest exclusively in the 

State Government and shall be exercisable by it, in accordance with the 

provisions of this act and the rules made thereunder through such persons or 

authorities as it may deem fit. 

 (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time 

being in force and save as provided by sub-section(1), it shall be unlawful for 

any person, society or local authority to hold, control, manage or regulate a 

cattle fair at any place in the State of Haryana. 

4. (1) There shall be appointed by the State Government one or more fair 

officers for the purpose of holding, controlling, managing and regulating cattle 

fairs in a district: 

 
7 Inserted by Haryana Act 36 of 1971. 
8 Clause (cc) added by ibid. 
9 Omitted by Haryana Act 25 of 2013. 

Bar of holding, 

etc., of cattle 

fairs except by 

or under 

authority  of 

State 

Government. 

Fair officers 

and their 

duties, etc. 



Provided that a fair officer may be appointed for more than one 

district. 

(2) Subject to the direction and control of the Deputy Commissioner 

concerned the fair officer shall be responsible for making arrangement in 

respect of all matters connected with the holding of a cattle fair and its proper 

control, management and regulating and shall have the following powers, 

namely:— 

(i) defining  the fair area; 

(ii) reservation of sites or places for latrines, urinals, baths, shops, 

exhibitions, shows, demonstrations, foot-baths for animals, 

water supply for drinking purposes, shelters, green and dry 

fodder, entertainments and similar other purpose necessary in 

connection with the cattle fair; 

(iii)allotment of sites temporarily for commercial or other purposes 

in connection with the cattle fair, authorization of raising of 

structures thereon and fixation of rents for such sites in the 

prescribed manner; 

(iv) construction of temporary officers for the purpose of collecting 

taxes and fees imposed and levied in connection with cattle 

fair; and 

(v) arrangements for watch and ward, lighting, medical first-aid, 

veterinary aid, sanitation, tentage and such other matters as 

may be necessary in connection with the cattle fair. 

10[4A. The State Government shall frame a scheme for organizing and 

managing the cattle fair through an agency on such terms and conditions, as 

may be prescribed. The scheme shall specify the process for collection of fee 

and the manner in which the money realized shall be credited to the Cattle 

Fair Fund.] 

5. For the purpose of advising a fair officer in respect of all matters 

pertaining to the management and control of a cattle fair, the State 

Government shall, in the prescribed manner, constitute for each cattle fair a 

Committee consisting of not more than eleven persons, including the 

 
10 Inserted vide Haryana Act 9 of 2017. 

Constitution of 

committee. 



Chairman, from amongst the members of Parliament, State legislature and 

local authorities, including Panchayats, in the district in which the cattle fair is 

held. 

6. The State Government may, in such manner and at such rates as may 

be prescribed, impose in a fair area during the continuance of a cattle fair— 

(a)  Tolls on vehicles entering such area for business purposed; 

and 

(b) Octroi duty on goods brought for sale within such area; 

Provided that no such duty shall be imposed on the goods which 

have already been subjected to the levy of such duty at the time of the entry 

into the limits of the local authority in which the fair area is situated. 

7. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time 

being in force, no local authority shall be competent to impose any tax or fee 

in any fair area in connecting with a cattle fair during the continuance of the 

fair. 

 

8. Every local authority, within whose jurisdictional limits a fair area or a 

part thereof is situated, shall render to the fair officer, for the purposes of 

holding, controlling, managing or regulating a cattle fair in such area, such 

assistance as may be required of it by the fair officer in connection with the 

cattle fair. 

9. 11[(1) Every person selling cattle at a cattle fair shall obtain in respect 

of such cattle a registration certificate in such manner, on payment of such fee 

and from such authority, as may be prescribed.] 

(2) Every person purchasing cattle at a Cattle Fair shall obtain in 

respect of such cattle a sale certificate in such manner, on payment of such 

fee and from such authority, as may be prescribed. 

10. (1) No person shall act as a broker in any fair area unless he is granted 

in respect of such area a licence on such terms and conditions as may be 

specified therein. 

 
11 Sub-section (1) of section 9 is inserted by Haryana Act 41 of 1976 and section 9 shall be 

renumbered as sub-section (2) of that section. 

Power of 

State 

Government 

to impose 

taxes  in fair 

areas. 

Exclusion of 

jurisdiction of 

local authorities 

to impose taxes, 

etc.,  

Duty of local 

authorities to 

assist fair 

officers. 

Levy of fees. 

Licensing of 

brokers. 



(2) A licence referred to in sub-section (1) shall be in such form, and 

shall be issued in such manner, on payment of such fee and by such authority 

as may be prescribed. 

(3) No broker shall be entitled to claim from the, seller or the 

purchaser or both a commission in respect of the sale or purchase of cattle at 

a rate exceeding in the aggregate one per centum of the price of the cattle 

sold. 

(4) If the fair officer is satisfied that the holder of a broker’s licence 

has violated any of the terms and conditions of the licence of has contravened 

any of the provisions of this Act or the rules, made thereunder, he may, after 

giving to the broker a reasonable opportunity of being hear, suspend or 

cancel his licence. 

(5) An order suspending or cancelling a broker’s licence shall be 

revisable by the Deputy Commissioner concerned in such manner as may be 

prescribed. 

11. (1) No person shall— 

(a) bring within a fair area any cattle suffering from any 

contagious or infectious disease ; or 

(b) obstruct the sale or purchase of cattle or unduly interfere 

therewith or misguide brokers, sellers or purchasers within 

the fair area or cause loss to the income of the cattle fair 

by unfair means. 

(2) The fair officer shall have power— 

(a) to  prohibit the entry in the fair area of any cattle referred 

to in clause (a) of sub-section (1) or to cause to be driven 

out of such area such cattle; 

(b) to get the cattle in the fair area immunized if necessary; 

(c) to isolate any diseased cattle; 

(d) to arrange for the disposal of dead cattle in the fair area; 

and 

Power to 

prohibit 

entry of 

certain 

persons and 

cattle in fair 

area. 



(e) in addition to any other penalty to which such person may 

be liable under this Act to expel from the fair area any 

person contravening the provisions of clause (b) of sub-

section(1). 

(3) For the purpose of complying with the provisions of sub-section 

(2) the fair officer may use such force as may be necessary. 

12. In the event of an outbreak of fire, the fair officer may order the 

demolition of any structure if in his opinion its demolition is necessary or 

expedient for preventing the fire from spreading and no suit or other 

proceeding shall lie for an act done or purporting to be done in good faith 

under this section. 

13. The fair officer may, in a fair area, remove any unauthorized 

construction and the cost of such removal may be recovered from the person 

making the construction as arrears of land revenue if such persons fails to 

make payment of such cost on written demand by the fair officer. 

14. (1) The fair officer may order the ejectment of any person from the site 

allotted to him in the fair area if such person contravenes any of the provisions 

of this Act or the rules made thereunder. 

(2) If any person fails without reasonable cause to comply with an order 

made under sub-section(1), the fair officer may take possession of the site and 

may for that purpose use such force as may be necessary. 

15. (1) If the fair officer has at any time reason to believe that any person 

from whom any sun recoverable under the provisions of this Act or the rules 

made thereunder is due, or is about to become due, is about to remove himself 

from the fair area, the fair officer may cause a bill for the sum due or about to 

become due to be presented to such person and demand immediate payment 

thereof. 

 (2) If, on presentation of such bill, the said person does not forthwith 

pay the sum due or about to become due, the amount shall be recovered by 

distress and sale in the prescribed manner of cattle or other movable property 

in the possession of such person. 

Outbreak of 

fire 

Power of 

remove 

unauthorized 

construction. 

Ejectement of 

allottees. 



 (3) Where any sum cannot be recovered under sub-section (2) or has 

been recovered only partially, such sum or the balance thereof, as the case 

may be, may be recovered as arrears of land revenue if such person fails to 

make payment thereof on a written demand by the fair officer. 

12 [15-A. No person shall sell or purchase cattle in the area adjacent to, and 

within a distance of one kilometer on all sides from the fair area.] 

 

 

16. (1) There shall be constituted in each district a Fund to be called “The 

Cattle Fair Fund” to which shall be credited the following, namely:— 

(a) all  fees, rents or other sums of money (not being tolls and 

taxes) received or realized under the provisions of this Act or 

the rules made thereunder; and 

(b) all donations or grant made to the fund by the Government, a 

local authority or any person or society. 

(2) All moneys referred to in sub-section (1) shall be deposited under 

the head “Cattle Fair Fund” which shall be kept in such Government treasury 

or sub-treasury in the district as may be specified by the Deputy 

Commissioner. 

 (3) The Cattle Fair Fund shall be operated 13[* * * *] in the prescribed 

manner and shall be applicable for the purchase or payment, in whole or in 

part, of all charges and expenses incidental to the matters specified in this Act 

and the rules made thereunder, including the following purposes, namely:— 

(a) all expenses necessary for the holding , controlling, managing  

or regulation of cattle fairs and for matters connected therewith 

or incidental thereto; 

(b) payment of salaries and allowances of persons employed in 

connection with the cattle fair; 

 
12 Inserted by Haryana Act 41 of 1976. 
13 Omitted vide Haryana Act 9 of 2017. 

Restriction on 

sale and 

purchase of 

cattle beyond 

fair area. 

Cattle fair fund. 



(c) payment of fees for the auditing of accounts of the Fund by 

such auditors and at such rate as the State Government may 

determine; 

(d) reimbursement to any local authority of any expenditure 

incurred or of advances made by if for the purpose of holding a 

cattle fair. 

 14[(4) “After payment of the charges and expenses referred to in sub-

section(3), the balance of the Cattle Fair Fund shall be utilized by such 

authority for the development of cattle or animal husbandry and purposes 

incidental thereto in such manner, as may be prescribed.]  

17. (1) Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (2) of 

section 3 shall— 

(a) for  the first offence, be punishable with imprisonment which 

may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to 

two thousand rupees or with both; and 

(b) for a second or subsequent offence, be punishable with 

imprisonment which may extend to one year, or with fine 

which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both: 

Provided that in the case of second or subsequent offence, in the 

absence of special and adequate reasons to be recorded in writing, 

such imprisonment shall not be less than six months an such fine 

shall not be less than two thousand rupees. 

(2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of section 9 or sub-

section (1), or sub-section (3) of 15[ section 10 or section 15A] or of the rules 

made under this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend 

to one month, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with 

both. 

 
14 Substituted by Haryana Act 5 of 2001. Further substituted by Haryana Act 24 of 2008. 

Further substituted by Haryana Act 9 of 2017. 
15 Substituted by Haryana Act 41 of 1976. 

Penalties 



18. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal 

Procedure, 1898, an offence punishable under sub-section (1) of section 17 

shall be cognizable. 

(2) No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under 

sub-section (2) of section 17 except on a complaint made in writing by the fair 

officer or by any other officer not below the rank of a Gazetted Officer 

authorized by the Deputy Commissioner in this behalf. 

(3) An offence punishable under sub-section (2) of section 17 may be 

tried in a summary manner. 

19. (1) A police officer arresting any person for an offence punishable 

under sub-section (1) of section 17 shall seize all movable property used by 

such person in the commission of the offence and all moneys collected by him 

in pursuance of such offence. 

(2) Whenever any offence punishable under sub-section (1) of section 

17 has been committed, the court shall direct that all movable property and all 

moneys seized under sub-section (1) shall be forfeited to the State 

Government. 

20. The fair officer may accept from any person charged with an offence 

punishable under sub-section (2) of section 17 by way of composition of the 

offence a sum of money not exceeding five hundred rupees and on such 

payment such person, if in custody, shall be set at liberty and the composition 

shall be deemed to amount to an acquittal and in no case shall any further 

proceedings be taken against such person in respect of the same offence. 

21. The fair officer may, subject to the rules made under this Act and 

with the approval of the State Government, make regulations to provide 

generally against the outbreak or spread of fire and particularly for the 

following purposes, namely:— 

(i) safely of buildings and structures put up in the fair area; 

(ii) laying down conditions on which huts and other structures may 

be constructed, including limits to the heights of such huts or 

structures and the areas on which they are to be built and 

distances between them; 

Cognizance of 

offences. 

Power of seizure 

and forfeiture of 

property. 

Composition 

Power to 

make 

regulations 



(iii)providing for the supply of water; and 

(iv) restricting the use of fire for cooking or for any other 

purpose and taking precautions against spread of fire. 

22. (1) The State Government may be notification make rules for 

carrying out the purposes of this Act. 

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the 

foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following 

matter, namely:— 

(a) the manner in which and the extent to which the fair officer 

or other persons or authorities under this Act shall exercise 

authority to hold, control, manage and regulate a cattle fair; 

(b) the manner in which the Committees referred to in section 

5 shall be constituted and matters connected therewith; 

(c) the manner in which sites shall be allotted temporarily for 

commercial or other purposed in connection with the cattle 

fair and the rents thereof; 

(d) the manner in which and the rate at which tolls and taxes 

shall be imposed, assessed and collected; 

(e) the manner in which, the fee on payment of which and the 

authority by which sale certificates shall be issued under 

section 9; 

(f) the form and manner in which, the payment of fee on which 

and the authority by which licences referred to in sub-

section (2) of section 10 shall be issued; 

(g) the manner in which and the fee on payment of which the 

Deputy Commissioner shall revise an order of suspension 

or cancellation of a broker’s licence under sub-section (5) 

of section 10; 

(h) the manner in which distress and sale of animals for 

movable property shall be made under sub-section (2) of 

section 15; 

Power to make 

rules. 



(i) the manner in which the Cattle Fair Fund shall be 

constituted and operated in each district and matters 

connected with the proper administration of such Fund; 

(j) sanitation and control of diseases in fair area; and 

(k) any other purpose for which rules are required to be or may 

be made. 

(3) Every rule made under this section shall be laid as soon as may be 

after it is made before the House of the State Legislature while it is in session 

for a total period of ten days which may be comprised in one session or in two 

successive sessions; and if before the expiry of the session in which it is laid 

or the session immediately following, the House agrees in making any 

modification in the rule or the House agrees that the rule should not be made, 

the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no 

effect, as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or 

annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously 

done under that rule. 

23. The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything 

inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force. 

----------- 

 

 

 

Act to 

override other 

laws.