President Pratibha Patil has granted her assent to the long-pending Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Bill which proposes seven-year imprisonment for cow slaughter.

The Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Vidheyak has received the Presidential approval following which it has become an Act and has subsequently been published in the extraordinary gazette, an official release said today.

In fulfillment of its commitment to protecting and conserving cow progeny, the state government had passed the amendment bill in the state Assembly in 2010 to remove the flaws in the Madhya Pradesh Gauvansh Pratishedh Adhiniyam 2004 (Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Regulation), the release said.

The amendment Act also obviated the difficulties and to make the provisions more stringent.

With the enforcement of the amended Act, now the responsibility of proving the prosecution wrong would lie with the accused in case of cow slaughter.

Similarly, a guilty of cow slaughter would be liable to imprisonment for seven years instead of present three years and a minimum fine of Rs 5,000 which may be increased by the court.

The amended Act provides that no person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered or offered for slaughter of any cow progeny by any means.

Besides, no person, including transporter, shall transport or offer for transport or cause to be transported any cow progeny himself or by his agent, servant or by any other person acting in his behalf within the state or outside the state for the purpose of its slaughter in contravention of the provisions of the Act or with the knowledge that it will be or is likely to be slaughtered.

The amended Act also has provisions for specifying necessary actions for feeding and rearing the cow progeny.

Under the Act, any police officer not below the rank of head constable or any person authorised in this behalf by competent authority shall have the power of entry, inspection, search and seizure and to present the case in the court.

It may be mentioned here that the state government had forwarded the amendment Bill on September 3, 2010 to the Union Home Ministry for Presidential nod.

The assent was received on December 22, 2011. The amended Act has been published in the extraordinary gazette of Madhya Pradesh on December 31, 2011.

The state government would take action for enforcement of the amended Act through a notification.