President Prartibha Patil has given her assent to the long-pending Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Bill that proposes seven-year imprisonment for slaughtering a cow.
The Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Vidheyak became an Act after it received the approval of the President, media reports said on Tuesday.
Earlier in 2004, the state government had passed the amendment bill to eliminate the defects in the Madhya Pradesh Gauvansh Pratishedh Adhiniyam 2004 (Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Regulation).
After the amended Act comes into force, a person found guilty of cow slaughtering would be liable to imprisonment for a period of seven years instead of current rule of three years and a minimum fine of Rs 5,000.
The rate of the fine could be increased by the court.
