Rajasthan passes bill to exclude buffalo from bovine Act

JAIPUR: The state assembly adjourned sine die after passing seven bills in a span of around eight hours on Friday. This included the bill on excluding buffalo and progenies from the definition of bovines to protect transporters and traders from cow vigilantes and another that makes rape and gang rape punishable by death.
Much of the assembly debate concentrated on these two bills, while the others were briefly discussed and passed between 2 pm and 10 pm.

The assembly’s business advisory committee introduced changes on the last day of scheduled business on Friday, following which two more bills were tabled and passed in addition to the five that were earlier listed for the day.

The last two bills included the Rajasthan Cooperative Society (Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Rajasthan Electropathy Medicine System Bill, 2018.

The Rajasthan Bovine Animal (Prohibition of Slaughter and Regulation of Temporary Migration or Export) (Amendment) Bill, 2018, clarified that “bovine animal” means and includes cow, calf, heifer, bull and bullock. The bill expressly excludes buffalo and progeny from the definition, which would come as a relief for cattle/meat traders and transporters facing harassment by cow vigilantes.

At the same time, the amendment gives more powers to authorities to crackdown on cow smugglers. The bill amends the Act of 1995, which has a similar title, and allows authorities to seize vehicles used for cow smuggling and arrest persons involved in the crime. The bill’s statement of object reads: “At present, there is no provision in this Act (of 1995) under which the competent authority can arrest any person who in his presence commits an offence punishable under this Act.” The amendment bill has added Section 12-A to the Act of 1995 to allow authorities to make arrests.

The provision to seize and confiscate means of conveyance used for smuggling cows from Rajasthan to another state has been introduced on the lines of Section 69 of the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950.

Another important bill—the Rajasthan Technical Universities’ Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018—changes eligibility conditions for appointment of vice-chancellors at Bikaner Technical University and Rajasthan Technical University. Now, only academicians with technical qualifications can be appointed to the post. Even in case of stop-gap arrangements, non-academic persons, especially bureaucrats, will not be given additional charge of a V-C in universities.

The assembly also passed Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2018, and a private university bill, titled the Shri Kallaji Vedic Vishvavidyalaya, Kamdhaj Nagar, Nimbahera (Chittorgarh) Bill, 2018.