The Telangana Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act, 1977.

THE TELANGANA PROHIBITION OF COW SLAUGHTER AND 
ANIMAL PRESERVATION ACT, 1977. 

(ACT NO. 11 OF 1977) 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 

Sections 

1. Short title and commencement. 

2. Declaration as to giving effect to certain directive 
principles. 

3. Definitions. 

4. Appointment of competent authority. 

5. Prohibition of slaughter of cow or calf of she-
buffaloe. 

6. Prohibition against slaughter of animals without 
certificate from competent authority. 

7. Power of revision. 

8. Slaughter to be in places specified. 

9. Power to enter and inspect. 

10. Penalties. 

11. Offences under Act to be cognizable. 

12. Abetments and attempts. 

13. Persons exercising powers under the Act deemed 
to be public servants. 

14. Protection of persons acting in good faith. 

15. Exemptions. 

16. Delegation of powers. 

17. Establishment of institutions for taking care of cows 
or other animals. 

 



2  [Act No. 11 of 1977] 

18. Power to make rules. 

19. Repeals. 

 



THE TELANGANA PROHIBITION OF COW SLAUGHTER 
AND ANIMAL PRESERVATION ACT, 1977.1 

 
ACT No. 11 OF 1977. 

 
1. (1) This Act may be called the 2Telangana Prohibition 
of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act, 1977. 
 
 (2) It extends to the whole of the 2State of Telangana. 
 
 (3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 
19th December, 1976. 
 
2. It is hereby declared that this Act is for giving effect to 
the policy of the State towards securing the principles 
specified in Article 48 of the Constitution of India. 
 
3. In this Act unless the context otherwise requires,- 
 
 (i) ‘animal’ means bull, bullock, buffaloe, male or 
female, or calf, whether male or female of a she-buffaloe; 
 
 (ii) ‘competent authority’ means a person or a body of 
persons appointed under section 4 to perform the functions 
of a competent authority under this Act; 
 
 (iii) ‘cow’ includes a heifer, or a calf, whether male or 
female, of a cow; 
 

                                                           
1. The Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal 
Preservation Act, 1977 received the assent of the President on the 30th 
April, 1977. The said Act in force in the combined State, as on 
02.06.2014, has been adapted to the State of Telangana, under section 
101 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Central Act 6 of 
2014) vide. the Telangana Adaptation of Laws Order, 2016 issued in 
G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016.  
2. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016.  

Short title and 
commencement. 

Declaration as to 
giving effect to 
certain directive 
principles. 

Definitions. 



2  [Act No. 11 of 1977] 

 (iv) ‘Government’ means the State Government; 
 
 (v) ‘notification’ means a notification published in the 
3Telangana Gazette and the word ‘notified’ shall be 
construed accordingly; 
 
 (vi) ‘prescribed’ means prescribed by rules made 
under this Act. 
 
4. The Government may, by notification, appoint a person 
or a body of persons to perform the functions of a 
competent authority under this Act for such local area as 
may be specified in such notification. 
 
5. Notwithstanding anything in any other law for the time 
being in force or any custom or usage to the contrary, no 
person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered, or offer 
or cause to be offered for slaughter or otherwise 
intentionally, kill or offer or cause to be offered for killing, 
any cow or calf, whether male or female, of a she-buffaloe. 
 
6. (1) Notwithstanding anything in any other law for the 
time being in force or any custom or usage to the contrary, 
no person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered or 
offer or cause to be offered for slaughter any animal other 
than a calf, whether male or female, of a she-buffaloe, 
unless he has obtained in respect of such animal a 
certificate in writing from the competent authority appointed 
for the area that the animal is fit for slaughter. 
 
 (2) No certificate shall be granted under sub-section 
(1), if in the opinion of the competent authority the animal is 
or is likely to become economical for the purpose of,- 
 
  (a) breeding, or  

                                                           
3. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016.  

Appointment of 
competent 
authority. 

Prohibition of 
slaughter of cow 
or calf of  
she-buffaloe. 

Prohibition 
against slaughter 
of animals without 
certificate from 
competent 
authority. 



[Act No.11 of 1977]  3 

  (b) draught or any kind of agricultural operations; or  
 
  (c) giving milk or bearing off-spring: 
 
 Provided that no certificate under sub-section (1) shall 
be refused to be granted unless the reasons for such refusal 
are recorded in writing. 
 
 (3) A certificate under this section shall be granted in 
such form and on payment of such fee as may be 
prescribed. 
 
7. (1) The Government may, suo motu or shall, on an 
application made in this behalf by the person aggrieved, for 
the purpose of satisfying themselves as to the legality or 
propriety of any order passed by a competent authority, 
granting or refusing to grant any certificate under section 6, 
call for and examine the record of the case and may pass 
such order in reference thereto as they think fit. 
 
 (2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (1) any 
order passed by the competent authority granting or 
refusing to grant a certificate under section 6, and any order 
passed by the Government under sub-section (1) shall be 
final and shall not be called in question in any court. 
 
8. No animal in respect of which a certificate has been 
granted under section 6, shall be slaughtered in any place 
other than a place specified by such authority or officer as 
the Government may appoint in this behalf. 
 
9. (1) For the purposes of this Act, the competent 
authority or any person authorised in this behalf by the 
competent authority (hereinafter referred to as the 
authorised person), shall have power to enter and inspect 
any premises where the competent authority or the 

Power of revision. 

Slaughter to be in 
places specified. 

Power to enter 
and inspect. 



4  [Act No. 11 of 1977] 

authorised person has reason to believe that an offence 
under this Act has been or is likely to be committed. 
 
 (2) Every person in occupation of any such premises 
shall allow the competent authority or the authorised person 
such access to the premises as may be necessary for the 
aforesaid purpose and shall answer to the best of his 
knowledge and belief any question put to him by the 
competent authority or by the authorised person. 
 
10. Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act, 
shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a 
term which may extend to six months or with fine which may 
extend to one thousand rupees, or with both. 
 
11. Notwithstanding anything in the Code of Criminal 
Procedure, 1973, all offences under this Act shall be 
cognizable. 
 
 
12. Whoever abets any offence punishable under this Act 
or attempts to commit any such offence, shall be punished 
with the punishment provided in this Act for such offence. 
 
13. All persons exercising powers under this Act shall be 
deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 
21 of the Indian Penal Code. 
 
 
 
14. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall be 
instituted against the competent authority or any person 
exercising powers under this Act, for anything which is in 
good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or the 
rules made thereunder. 
 
 

Penalties. 

Offences under 
Act to be 
cognizable. 

Central Act  2 of 1974. 

Abetments and 
attempts. 

Persons 
exercising powers 
under the Act 
deemed to be 
public servants. 

Central Act 45 of 1860. 

Protection of 
persons acting in 
good faith. 

  



[Act No.11 of 1977]  5 

15. Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed in this 
behalf, the provisions of this Act shall not apply to,- 
 
 (a) any animal operated upon for vaccine, lymph, 
serum or any experimental or research purpose at an 
institution established, conducted or recognised by the 
Government; or  
 
 (b) any cow or animal- 
 
  (i) slaughter of which is certified by a Veterinary 
Officer authorised by the Government, to be necessary in 
the interests of the public health; 
 
  (ii) which is suffering from any disease which is 
certified by a Veterinary Officer authorised by the 
Government as being contagious and dangerous to other 
animals. 
 
16. The Government may, by notification, delegate – 
 
 (i) to any local authority, their powers under section 4, 
within the local area subject to the jurisdiction of such local 
authority; 
 
 (ii) to any officer of the Government, their powers under 
sub-section (1) of section 7. 
 
17. (1) The Government may establish, or direct any local 
authority or society registered under the law relating to the 
registration of societies for the time being in force in the 
State, or any association or body of persons, to establish 
institutions at such places as may be deemed necessary for 
taking care of cows or other animals sent thereto. 
 
 (2) The Government may provide by rules for the 
proper management of such institutions for the care of cows 

Exemptions. 

Delegation of 
powers. 

Establishment of 
institutions for 
taking care of 
cows or other 
animals. 



6  [Act No. 11 of 1977] 

or other animals therein and also for the class or variety of 
cows or other animals that may be admitted therein. 
 
 (3) The Government, or subject to the previous 
sanction of the Government, the local authority, society or 
body of persons or association establishing an institution 
under sub-section (1), may levy such fees as may be 
prescribed for the maintenance of such institutions. 
 
18. (1) The Government may, by notification, after previous 
publication, 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- 
 
  (a) the powers and duties of competent authority in 
addition to those provided in this Act; 
 
  (b) the form of the certificate under section 6; 
 
  (c) the amount of fee to be paid under section 6; 
 
  (d) the conditions subject to which this Act shall not 
apply to any animal under section 15; 
 
  (e) the management of institutions established under 
section 17 and the fee to be levied for their maintenance; 
and 
 
  (f) any other matter which is to be or may be 
prescribed. 
 
 (3) Every rule made under this section shall 
immediately after it is made, be laid before each House of 
the State Legislature if it is in session and if it is not in the 
session in the session immediately following, for a total 

Power to make 
rules. 



[Act No.11 of 1977]  7 

period of fourteen days which may be comprised in one 
session, or in two successive sessions, and if, before the 
expiration of the session in which it is so laid or the session 
immediately following, both Houses agree in making any 
modification in the ruIe or in the annulment of the rule, the 
rule shall, from the date on which the modification or 
annulment is notified, have effect only in such modified form 
or shall, stand annulled, 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. 
 
19. The Andhra Pradesh (Telangana Area) (Slaughter of 
Animals) Act, 1950, and the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of 
Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Ordinance, 1976, 
are hereby repealed. 
 

* * * 

Repeals. 

Act VII of 1950. 
Ordinance 23 of 1976. 

 


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