Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972
India's principal domestic legislation to regulate dealing in antiquities and prevent illegal export. Enacted in alignment with the 1970 UNESCO Convention, the Act defines an "antiquity" as any object at least 100 years old and an "art treasure" as a human work of art declared as such by the Central Government for its artistic or aesthetic value.
- Section 3: Prohibits export of any antiquity or art treasure except under a permit from the Central Government
- Section 5: No person can sell or offer to sell antiquities without a licence
- Section 25 (Penalties): Export in contravention of Section 3 is punishable with imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and fine
- Mandates compulsory registration of antiquities; empowers Central Government to compulsorily acquire them
- Administered by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture
● Tracked since February 11, 2026 · last seen July 25, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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