The Indian Forest Act, 1927

The Indian Forest Act, 1927 is an act that consolidates the law relating to forests, transit of forest produce, and duty leviable on timber and other forest produce.

This Act extends to the whole of India except the territories that were comprised in Part B States before November 1, 1956. It applies to various states such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjabi, and West Bengal. The Government of any State may bring this Act into force in their whole or specified part.

The Act defines 'cattle' as including elephants, camels, buffaloes, horses, mares, geldings, ponies, colts, fillies, mules, asses, pigs, rams, ewes, sheep, lambs, goats and kids. It also includes forest produce such as timber, charcoal, caoutchouc, catechu, wood-oil, resin, natural varnish, bark, lac, mahua flowers, mahua seeds, kuth and myrobolans.

The Act provides for the reservation of forests by the State Government. Whenever it is decided to constitute any land a reserved forest, the State Government shall issue a notification in the Official Gazette declaring that it has been decided to constitute such land a reserved forest, specifying its situation and limits, and appointing an officer to inquire into and determine the existence, nature and extent of any rights alleged to exist in favour of any person.

The Act provides for the extinction of rights in respect of which no claim has been preferred under section 6 and of the existence of which no knowledge has been acquired by inquiry under section 7. Rights in respect of which no claim has been preferred shall be extinguished unless, before the notification under section 20 is published, the person claiming them satisfies the Forest Settlement officer that he had sufficient cause for not preferring such claim within the period fixed under section 6.

The Act also provides for the power to acquire land over which right is claimed. If such claim is admitted in whole or in part, the Forest Settlement-officer shall either exclude such land from the limits of the proposed forest, come to an agreement with the owner thereof for the surrender of his rights, or proceed to acquire such land in the manner provided by the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

The Act also provides for the power to stop ways and water-courses in reserved forests. Acts prohibited in such forests include thefts, trespasses, and acts against forest produce. The Act also provides for the power to declare a forest no longer reserved.