Pakistan (Punjab) Legislation

THE PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016

(Act XXIX of 2016)

Section Heading

1. Short title, extent and commencement.

2. Definitions.

3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations.

4. Restriction on edibles.

5. Obligation of hotels, restaurants, etc.

6. Closing of marriage functions.

7. Committees.

8. Offence.

9. Cognizance of offence.

10. Disposal of food and other edibles.

11. Rules.

12. Repeal.

[1]THE PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016

(Act XXIX of 2016)

[20 April 2016]

An Act to regulate marriage functions and other related ceremonies.

It is expedient to provide for regulation of marriage functions and other related ceremonies and to make incidental provisions.

Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:

1. Short title, extent and commencement.- (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Marriage Functions Act 2016.

(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions.- In this Act:

(a) "committee" means a committee constituted under the Act;

(b) "Government" means Government of the Punjab;

(c) "marriage" includes a ceremony, preceding and succeeding the formal wedding, whether religious or social rituals such as mayun, mehndi (rasm-e-hina), barat, nikah, rukhsati or walima;

(d) "one dish" means one salan, one rice dish, one salad, hot and cold drinks, roti, nan and one sweet dish;

(e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under the Act; and

(f) "public place" means a club, hotel, restaurant, wedding hall, community center, community park, an open space or any private property hired for a marriage.

3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations.- A person celebrating his marriage or organizing the marriage of any other person shall not:

(a) decorate or cause to be decorated any street, road or public park or any place other than the building, where marriage ceremony is being held, with lights or illumination;

(b) explode or allow anyone to explode cracker or other explosive device including firing by firearms;

(c) display or allow anyone to display fireworks;

(d) display or allow any person to display dowry to the public eye; and

(e) cause or allow any person to cause nuisance or disturbance to the neighbourhood beyond reasonable celebrations.

4. Restriction on edibles.- A person celebrating his marriage or organizing the marriage of any other person at a public place shall not serve or allow anyone to serve meals or other edibles except one dish to the persons participating in the marriage.

5. Obligation of hotels, restaurants, etc.- A person owning, managing or running a public place, being the site of marriage, or a caterer shall not serve or allow anyone to serve meals or other edibles to the persons participating in the marriage except as provided in section 4 of the Act.

6. Closing of marriage functions.- A person owning, managing or running a public place, being the site of a marriage, shall ensure conclusion of all ceremonies relating to the marriage on or before 10:00 pm.

7. Committees.- (1) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, constitute one or more committees for the enforcement of the provisions of the Act.

(2) The committee constituted under subsection (1) shall perform such functions in such manner as may be prescribed.

8. Offence.- If a person contravenes the provisions of sections 3, 4, 5 or 6, he shall be guilty of an offence punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month and fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees or more than two million rupees.

9. Cognizance of offence.- (1) Subject to this section, an offence under this Act shall be bailable and cognizable on a complaint by an officer notified by the Government.

(2) A magistrate of the first class shall summarily try an offence under this Act in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XXII of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898) on the report of the officer notified by the Government.

(3) The Police shall associate the officer notified by the Government while entering a public place where marriage is being held for taking cognizance of an offence under this Act on a complaint of the notified officer.

10. Disposal of food and other edibles.- The food and other edibles procured, prepared, arranged or set for serving to the extent of contravention of this Act shall be forfeited and disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed.

11. Rules.- The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

12. Repeal.- The Marriage Functions (Prohibition of Ostentatious Displays and Wasteful Expenses) Ordinance 2000 (II of 2000), in its application to the Province of the Punjab, and the Punjab Marriage Functions Ordinance, 2015 (VI of 2016) are hereby repealed.