Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955

No: 15 Dated: Jun, 27 1956

The Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955

Punjab Act 15 of 1956

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 :-

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955.

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

(3) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant to the subject or context,-

(a) "beef" means flesh of cow in any form but does not include flesh of cow contained in sealed containers and imported into Punjab.

(b) "beef products" include extraction from beef;

(c) "cow" includes a bull, bullock, ox, heifer or calf;

(cc) "export" means to take out from the State of Punjab to any place outside that State;

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

(e) "slaughter" means killing by any method whatsoever and includes maiming and inflicting of physical injury which in the ordinary course will cause death;

(f) "Government" means the Government of Punjab; and

(g) "uneconomic cow" includes stray, unprotected, infirm, disabled, diseased or barren cow.

3. Prohibition of cow slaughter. - Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force or any usage or custom to the contrary, no person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered or offer or cause to be offered for slaughter any cow in any place in Punjab :

Provided that killing of a cow by accident or in self defence will not be considered as slaughter under the Act.