Section 20A: Power to enter upon and make excavations in a protected area

(1) Any officer of the Archeological Department or any person holding a licence under section 20B may, with the written permission of the Collector enter upon and make excavations in any, protected area.

(2) Where, in the exercise of the power conferred by sub-section (1), the rights of any person are infringed by the occupation or disturbance of the surface of any land, [the Central Government] shall pay to that person compensation for the infringement.

Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the section 20A

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