The Cantonments Act, 2006
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Defence / Department of Defence
Section 261 Boundary walls, hedges and fences.
(2) The Chief Executive Officer may, by notice in writing, require the owner or lessee of any land in the cantonment--
(a) to remove from the land any boundary wall, hedge or fence which is in his opinion unsuitable, unsightly or otherwise objectionable; or
(b) to construct on the land sufficient boundary walls, hedges or fences of such material, description or dimensions as may be specified in the notice; or
(c) to maintain the boundary walls, hedges or fences of such lands in good order:
Provided that in the case of any such boundary wall, hedge or fence which was erected with the consent or under the orders of the Chief Executive Officer or which was in existence at the commencement of this Act, the Board shall make compensation for any damage caused by the removal thereof.
(3) The Chief Executive Officer may, by notice in writing, require the owner, lessee or occupier of any such land to cut or trim any hedge on the land in such manner and within such time as may be specified in the notice.
Section 262 Felling, lopping and trimming or trees.
(2) A Board may--
(a) cause to be lopped or trimmed any tree standing on land in the cantonment which belongs to the Government; or
(b) by public notice require all owners, lessees or occupiers of land in the cantonment, or by notice in writing require the owner, lessee or occupier of any such land, to lop or trim, in such manner as may be specified in the notice, all or any trees standing on such land or to remove any dead trees from such land.
Section 263 Digging of public land.
1[263. Digging of public land.---Any person who, without the written permission of the Chief Executive Officer, digs up the surface of any open space in the cantonment that is not private property, shall be liable to penalty which may extend to two thousand and five hundred rupees and, in the case of a continuing default, to an additional penalty which may extend to five hundred rupees for every day, after the first, during which the default continues.]
1. Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch. for s. 263 (w.e.f. 22-05-2026)
Section 264 Improper use of land.
(2) If, in any case referred to in sub-section (1), the Chief Executive Officer is of opinion that such a course is necessary in order to prevent imminent danger, he may, by order in writing, require a proper hoarding or fence to be put up for the protection of passers-by.
Section 265 Public markers and slaughter-houses.
(2)When such market or slaughter-house is situated beyond cantonment limits, the Board shall have the same power for the inspection and proper regulation of the same as if it were situated within those limits.
(3) The Board may at any time, by public notice, close any public market or public slaughter-house or any part thereof.
(4) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorise the establishment of a public market or public slaughter-house within the limits of any area administered by any local authority other than the Board, without the permission of such local authority or otherwise than on such conditions as such local authority may approve.
Section 266 Use of public market.
(2) Any person contravening the provisions of this section, and any animal or article exposed for sale by such person, may be summarily removed from the market by or under the orders of the Chief Executive Officer or any official of the Board authorised by him in this behalf.
Section 267 Power to transfer by public auction, etc.
Provided that where the Board is of opinion that such transfer of the aforesaid rights by public auction is not considered desirable or expedient, it may, with the previous sanction of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Command or in his absence, the Principal Director,--
(a) either levy such stallages, rents or fees as it thinks fit; or
(b) farm the stallages, rents and fees leviable under clause (a) for any period not exceeding one year at a time:
Provided further that the enjoyment of any such aforesaid right by any person for any length of time shall never be deemed to create or confer any tenancy right in such stall, shop, standing, shed, pen, public market or public slaughter-house.
(2) The Board may transfer by public auction or otherwise any immovable property other than in a public market or a public slaughter house if such property is capable of being put to remunerative use for such period and on such terms and conditions as may be approved by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the Command or in his absence, the Principal Director.
Section 268 Stallages, rents, etc., to be published.
Section 269 Private markets and slaughter-houses.
(1) No place in a cantonment other than a public market shall be used as a market, and no place in a cantonment other than a public slaughter-house shall be used as a slaughter-house, unless such place has been licensed as a market or slaughter-house, as the case may be, by the Board:
Provided that nothing in this sub-sections shall apply in the case of a slaughter-house established and maintained by the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be.
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed--
(a) to restrict these slaughter of any animal in any place on the occasion of any festival or ceremony, subject to such conditions as to prior or subsequent notice as the Chief Executive Officer with the previous sanction of the District Magistrate may, by public or special notice, impose in this behalf; or
(b) to prevent the Chief Executive Officer, with the sanction of the Board, from setting apart places for the slaughter of animals in accordance with religious custom.
1[(3) Any person who omits to comply with any condition imposed by the Chief Executive Officer under clause (a) of sub-section (2) shall be liable to penalty which may extend to five thousand rupees and, in the case of a continuing default, to an additional penalty which may extend to one thousand rupees for every day, after the first, during which the default continues.]
1. Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch., for sub-section (3) (w.e.f. 22-05-2026).
Section 270 Conditions of grant of licence for private market or slaughter-house.
(2) The Board may refuse to grant any such licence without giving reasons for such refusal.
Section 271 Penalty for keeping market or slaughter-house open without licence, etc.
(1) Any person who keeps open for public use any market or slaughter-house in respect of which a licence is required 1[under this Act, without obtaining such licence, or while the licence is suspended, or after it has been cancelled, shall be liable to penalty which may extend to five thousand rupees and, in the case of a continuing default, to an additional penalty which may extend to five hundred rupees for every day after the first during which the default continues]
(2) When a licence to open a private market or private slaughter-house is granted or refused or is suspended or cancelled, the Board shall cause a notice of the grant, refusal, suspension or cancellation to be pasted in English or such language or languages as it thinks necessary in some conspicuous place by or near the entrance to the place to which the notice relates.
1. Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch., for certain words (w.e.f. 22-05-2026).
Section 272 Penalty for using unlicensed market or slaughter-house.
1[272. Penalty for using unlicensed market or slaughter-house.—Any person who, knowing that any market or slaughter-house has been opened to the public without a licence when such licence is required under this Act, or that the licence granted therefor is suspended or has been cancelled, sells or exposes for sale any article in such market, or slaughters any animal in such slaughter-house, shall be liable to penalty which may extend to five thousand rupees and, in the case of a continuing default, to an additional penalty which may extend to five hundred rupees for every day after the first during which the default continues.]
3. Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch., for section 272 (w.e.f. 22-05-2026).
Section 273 Prohibition and restriction of use of slaughter-house.
(2) A copy of every notice issued under sub-section (1) shall be conspicuously pasted in the slaughter-house to which it relates.
Section 274 Power to inspect slaughter-houses.
(2) Every such order shall specify the place to be entered and the locality in which the same is situated and the period, which shall not exceed seven days for which the order is to remain in force.
Section 275 Power to regulate certain activities.
(a) the days on, and the hours during, which any private market or private slaughter-house may be kept open for use;
(b) the regulation of the design, ventilation and drainage of such market or slaughter-houses, and the material to be used in the construction thereof;
(c) the keeping of such markets and slaughter-houses and lands and buildings appertaining thereto in a clean and sanitary condition, the removal of filth and refuse therefrom, and the supply therein of pure water and of a sufficient number of latrines and urinals for the use of persons using or frequenting the same;
(d) the manner in which animals shall be stalled at a slaughter-house;
(e) the manner in which animals may be slaughtered;
(f) the disposal or destruction of animals offered for slaughter which are, from disease or any other cause, unfit for human consumption;
(g) the destruction of carcasses which from disease or any other cause are found after slaughter to be unfit for human consumption; and
(h) any other matter with respect to the regulation of such markets and slaughter-houses.
Section 276 Provision of washing places.
(1) A Board may provide suitable places for the exercise by washermen of their calling, and may require payment of such fees for the use thereof as it thinks fit.
(2) Where the Board has provided such places as aforesaid it may, by public notice, prohibit the washing of clothes by washermen at any other place in the cantonment:
Provided that such prohibition shall not be deemed to apply to the washing by a washerman of his own clothes or of the clothes of any other person who is an occupier of the place at which they are washed.
(3) Whoever contravenes any prohibition contained in a notice issued under sub-section (2) shall be 1[liable to penalty] which may extend to five hundred rupees.
1. Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch. for “punishable with fine” (w.e.f. 22-05-2026)
Section 277 Licences required for carrying on of certain occupations.
(a) butchers and vendors of poultry, game or fish;
(b) persons keeping pigs for profit, and dealers in the flesh of pigs which have been slaughtered within or without cantonment;
(c) persons keeping milch cattle or milch goats for profit;
(d) persons keeping for profit any animals other than pigs, milch cattle or milch goats;
(e) dairymen, buttermen and makers and vendors of ghee;
(f) makers of bread, biscuits or cake and vendors of bread, biscuits or cake made within or without cantonment;
(g) vendors of fruits or vegetables;
(h) manufacturers of aerated or other potable waters or of ice or ice-cream, and vendors of the same;
(i) vendors of any medicines, drugs or articles of food or drink for human consumption (other than the flesh of pigs, milk, butter, bread, biscuits, cake, fruit, vegetables, aerated or other potable waters or ice or ice-cream) which are of a perishable nature;
(j) vendors of spirituous liquor;
(k) vendors of water to be used for drinking purposes;
(l) washermen;
(m) dealers in hay, straw, wood, charcoal or other inflammable material;
(n) dealers in fire-works, kerosene oil, petroleum or any other inflammable oil or spirit;
(o) tanners and dyers;
(p) persons carrying on any trade or occupation from which offensive or unwholesome smells arise;
(q) vendors of wheat, rice and other grain or of flour;
(r) makers and vendors of sugar or sweetmeats;
(s) barbers and keepers of shaving saloons;
(t) any other person carrying on such other trade, calling or occupation as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf,
shall carry on his trade, calling or occupation in any part of a cantonment unless he has applied for and obtained a licence in this behalf from the Board.
(2) A licence granted under sub-section (1) shall be valid until the end of the year in which it is issued and the grant of such licence shall not be withheld by the Board unless it has reason to believe that the business which it is intended to establish or maintain would be offensive or dangerous to the public or that the premises in which the business is intended to be established or maintained are unfit or unsuitable for the purpose.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1),--
(a) no person who was, at the commencement of this Act, carrying on his trade, calling or occupation in any part of a cantonment shall be bound to apply for a licence for carrying on such trade or occupation in that part until he has received from the Board not less than three months notice in writing of his obligation to do so, and if the Board refuses to grant him a licence, it shall pay compensation for any loss incurred by reason of such refusal;
(b) no person shall be required to take out a licence for the sale or storage of petroleum or for the sale or possession for sale of poisons or white arsenic in any case in which he is required to take out a licence for such sale, storage, or possession for sale by or under the Petroleum Act, 1934 (30 of 1934) or the Poisons Act, 1919 (12 of 1919).
(4) The Board may charge for the grant of licences, under this section such reasonable fees, as it may fix keeping in view the fees levied in this regard in a municipality in the State wherein such cantonment is situated.