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SEED ACT AND SEED LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEEDS ACT AND RULES

Introduction
The seed is an important agricultural input and it plays vital role in increasing production and
productivity. There is a need to safeguard the farmers with the supply of genetically pure and quality
seeds. Any new variety produced by the Scientist has to be multiplied many times to meet the needs
of the farmers. In order to ensure the availability of quality seeds, Government of India have enacted
Seeds act, 1966 and Seed rules, 1968. The seed (Control) order, 1983 was promulgated under
essential commodities act, 1955 in order to ensure the production, marketing and equal distribution
of the seeds.
Seeds Act, 1966

The object of Seed Act is to regulate the quality of certain notified kind / varieties of seeds for sale and
for matters connected therewith. The seed act passed by the Indian Parliament in 1966 was designed
to create a 'Climate' in which the seeds man could operate effectively and to make good quality seed
available to cultivators. Seeds rule under the act were notified in September 1968 and the act was
implemented entirely in October, 1969. This act extent to the whole of India and it has 25 sections.
Seed legislation could broadly be divided into two groups:
1. Sanctioning legislation
Sanctioning legislation authorizes formation of Advisory bodies, Seed Certification Agencies, Seed
Testing laboratories, Foundation and Certified Seed Programmes, Recognition of Seed certification
Agencies of Foreign countries Appellate authorities etc.
2. Regulatory legislation
Regulatory Legislation controls the quality of seeds sold in the market including suitable agencies
for regulating the seed quality. On quality control basis, the Seeds Act could conveniently be
divided into the following:
I. Minimum limit and labeling of the notified kind / varieties of seed
a. Power to notify the kind / variety
b. Labeling provisions
c. Seed testing
d. Seed analyst
e. Seed inspectors
f. Penalty
g. General provisions
II. Seed Certification
III. Restriction of Import and Export of Seeds
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,

1. "Agriculture" includes horticulture;
2. "Central Seed Laboratory" means the Central Seed Laboratory established or declared as such
under sub-section (1) of section 4;
3. "Certification agency" means the certification agency established under Section 8 or recognised
under Section 18;
4. "Committee" means the Central Seed Committee constituted under sub-section (1) of Section 3;
5. "Container" means a box, bottle, casket, tin, barrel, case, receptacle, sack, bag, wrapper or other
thing in which any article or thing is placed or packed;
6. "Export" means taking out of India to a place outside India;
7. "Import" means bringing into India from a place outside India;
8. "Kind" means one or more related species or sub-species of crop plants each individually or
collectively known by one common name such as cabbage, maize, paddy and wheat;
9. "notified kind or variety" , in relation to any seed, means any kind or variety thereof notified
under Section 5;
10. "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act;
11. "seed" means any of the following classes of seeds used for sowing or planting seeds of food
crops including edible oil seeds and seeds of fruits and vegetables; cotton seeds; of seeds of cattle
fodder; and includes seedlings, and tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, roots, cuttings, all types of grafts and
other vegetatively propagated material, of food crops or cattle fodder;
12. "Seed Analyst" means a Seed Analyst appointed under section 12;
13. "Seed Inspector" means a Seed Inspector appointed under section 13;
14. "State Government", in relation to a Union territory, means the administrator thereof;
15. "State Seed Laboratory", in relation to any State, means the State Seed Laboratory established or
declared as such under sub-section (2) of section 4 for that State; and
16. "Variety" means a sub-division of a kind identifiable by growth, yield, plant, fruit, seed, or other
characteristic.
SEED LAW ENFORCEMENT
The responsibilities for enforcing various provisions regarding regulation of sale of seeds of notified
kinds/varieties rests with the seed inspectors. The seed inspector is required to:
a) Inspect of frequently as may be required all places used for the growing, storage or sale of any
seed of any notified kind r variety;
b) Satisfy himself that the conditions of the certificates/labels are being observed;
c) Procure and send for analysis, if necessary, samples of any seeds, which he has reason to suspect,
are being produced, stocked or sold or exhibited for sale in contravention of the provisions of the
Act of the Rules.
d) Investigate any complaint which may be made to him in writing in respect of any contravention of
the provisions of the Act, or the Rules;
e) Maintain a record of all inspections made and action taken by him in the performance of his
duties, including the taking of samples and the seizure of stocks and to submit copies of such records
to the Director of Agriculture, or the certification agency.
f) When so authorized by the State Government, to detain imported containers which he has reason
to suspect contain seeds, the import of which is prohibited, except and in accordance with the
provisions of the Act and the Rules;
g) Institute prosecution in respect to breaches of the Act and the Rules; and
h) Perform such other duties as may be entrusted to him by the competent authority from time to
time.

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SEED ACT AND SEED LAW ENFORCEMENT

SEEDS ACT AND RULES

Seeds Act, 1966

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,

6. "Export" means taking out of India to a place outside India;

7. "Import" means bringing into India from a place outside India;

10. "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act;

SEED LAW ENFORCEMENT

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