Maharashtra Assembly Passes Bill To Relocate And Sterilise Leopards Amid Conflict Concerns
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai: A bill passed by the State Assembly on Wednesday will enable the relocation of leopards, allow their sterilisation and permit research into chemical methods to prevent their entry into human habitats.
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Wildlife Amendment Empowers Chief Warden Without Permitting Hunting
The Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed by a voice vote, empowers the state chief wildlife warden to allow the translocation of wild animals to suitable alternative habitats, as well as undertake population management, without permitting the killing, poisoning, or destruction of wildlife.
Clarifying the government’s stand, forest minister Ganesh Naik told the House that the amendments would not lead to the issuance of permits to hunt wild animals, including leopards. Instead, Naik said, the changes would facilitate better management of human-wildlife conflict.
Section 12 Amendment Aims to Control Human-Animal Conflict
The amendment to Section 12 empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden to grant permits for education, scientific research, and scientific management. It also allows the state to take measures to control human-animal conflict, including granting permission for sterilisation and the relocation of animals from one protected zone to another.
The amendments further enable research, including behavioural studies of leopards, which are often found in sugarcane fields.
'Mumbai Won't Slide Into Gang Wars,' Says CM Devendra Fadnavis After Rohit Shetty Firing IncidentNaik also sought to allay fears that the changes would permit the hunting of protected animals. He said the amendments would ensure quicker administrative responses at the state level, without the need to seek permissions from the Centre.
Meanwhile, the amendments propose reclassifying leopards from Schedule I to Schedule II, giving the state more flexibility in managing the species. The bill will require the assent of the Governor and the President of India.
Participating in the debate, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray urged the government to refer the bill to a select committee for detailed scrutiny. Thackeray argued that merely changing the schedule classification would not address the growing human-animal conflict.
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