Insertion of new sections 12A and 12B in Act I of

In the principal Act, after section 12, the following new sections shall be inserted, namely:—

Security in respect of impounded cattle. "12A.

1. (1) In any local area to which the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, apply this section, every pound-keeper shall, before releasing any impounded cattle, require the owner of the impounded cattle or his agent to make, in the form to be prescribed by the State Government, a declaration regarding the ownership of such cattle and to deposit by way of security such sum as the State Government may, by rules, prescribe. Different scales may be prescribed for different areas or different classes of cattle.
2. (2) If any cattle belonging to such owner are impounded within a period of six months from the date on which the security is deposited, and if the seizure is not adjudged illegal, the amount of deposit or a part thereof, as may be directed by the State Government by rules made in this behalf, shall stand forfeited to the State Government. If cattle are not impounded as aforesaid, the amount of security deposit shall, on an application made by or on behalf of the depositor, be refunded to him on the expiry of that period.
3. (3) On every occasion on which the release of the cattle impounded under this Act is claimed, the owner of the cattle shall deposit a fresh security.