66. Repeal and savings.- (1) As from the commencement of this Act, every other Act relating to any matter contained in this Act and in force in a State shall, to the extent to which that Act or any provision contained therein corresponds, or is repugnant, to this Act or any provision contained in this Act, stand repealed:

Provided that such repeal shall not,

(i)affect the previous operation of the Act so repealed, or anything duly done or suffered thereunder;

(ii)affect any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired, accrued or incurred under the Act so repealed;

(iii)affect any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred in respect of any offence committed against the Act so repealed; or

(iv)affect any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy in respect of any such right, privilege, obligation, liability, penalty, forfeiture, or punishment as aforesaid; and any such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy may be instituted, continued or enforced, and any such penalty, forfeiture and punishment may be imposed, as if the aforesaid Act had not been repealed.

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal,-

(a) anything done or any action taken under the Act so repealed (including any notification order, certificate, notice or receipt issued, application made, or permit granted) which is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act as if this Act were in force at the

time such thing was done or action was taken, and shall continue to be in force, unless and until superseded by anything done of any action taken under this Act.

(b) every licence granted under any Act so repealed and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to have been granted under the corresponding provisions of this Act and shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, continue to be in force for the unexpired portion of the period for which such licence had been granted.

(3) For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that any sanctuary or National Park declared by a State Government under any Act repealed under sub- section (1) shall be deemed to be a sanctuary or National park, as the case may be, declared by the State Government under this Act and where any right in or over any land in any such National Park which had not been extinguished under the said Act, at or before the commencement of this Act, the extinguishment of such rights shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

*[(4) For the removal of doubts, it is hereby further declared that where any proceeding under any provision of sections 19 to 25 (both inclusive) is pending on the date of commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) (Amendment) Act, 1991 any reserve forest or a part of territorial waters comprised within a sanctuary declared under section 18 to be a sanctuary before the date of such commencement shall be deemed to be a sanctuary declared under section 26A.]

*[Inserted by Act 44 of 1991, section 48 (w.e.f. 2-10-1991).