The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 alongwith Rules 2004

Biological Diversity Act, 2002 alongwith Rules 2004 As amended by The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023

This 2025 edition of The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (Act 18 of 2003, dt. 5-2-2003) sets out India’s comprehensive regime for conserving biodiversity, ensuring sustainable use of its components, and equitably sharing benefits arising from biological resources and traditional knowledge. The text is fully consolidated with the game-changing Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 10 of 2023, dt. 3-8-2023, w.e.f. 1-4-2024) and the newly notified Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 (G.S.R. 606 E, dt. 21-10-2024, w.e.f. 23-10-2024).

What’s inside
• Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 in full, replacing the 2004 Rules
• Concise short comments after key provisions—flagging fast-track approvals for AYUSH, simplified access for cultivated varieties, and the new “local-community benefit-sharing fund”
• Updated schedules, forms, and fee tables exactly as prescribed by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

Core statutory coverage

• Three-tier governance structure — National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards & Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)
• Access & benefit-sharing (ABS) — prior approval, mutually agreed terms, fast-track routes for research & patents, and exemptions for domestic cultivators (2023 amendment)
• Protection of traditional knowledge — documentation, Intellectual-Property scrutiny, and equitable royalty distribution to local communities
• Conservation measures — People’s Biodiversity Registers, threatened-species notifications, and habitat-preservation directives
• Offences & penalties — enhanced monetary fines and compounding provisions introduced in 2023 for unauthorised bio-prospecting
• Appeals & dispute resolution — NBA adjudication, High-Court writs, and alternate-dispute mechanisms under the new Rules

This edition is particularly suited for

• AIBE candidates and law students focusing on environmental, IPR, and indigenous-rights law
• Biotech companies, research institutes, and AYUSH manufacturers navigating streamlined ABS approvals after the 2023 amendment
• State Boards, BMC officials, and NGO facilitators preparing People’s Biodiversity Registers and benefit-sharing agreements
• Policy analysts, environmental economists, and conservationists assessing India’s biodiversity-governance reforms

Presented verbatim and BCI-compliant, yet enriched with pinpoint explanatory notes, this Bare Act offers clarity, authenticity, and instant practical insight—indispensable for statutory compliance, legal practice, and academic mastery.