Cotton Ginning and Pressing Factories Act, 1925

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THE COTTON GINNING AND PRESSING FACTORIES ACT, 1925 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
 
2. Definitions 
 
3. Maintenance of registers 
 
4. Marking of bales 
 
5. Returns 
 
5A.  Returns from cotton ginning factories 
 
6. Scales and weights 
 
7. Liability of lessee as owner 
 
8. Liability on transfer of ownership 
 
9. Structural requirements for factories 
 
10. Liability of officers of a company 
 
11. Cognizance of offences 
 
12. Power of the Federal Government to make rules 
 
13. Power of the Provincial Government to make rules 
 
14. Power to reject unmarked bales in fulfillment of contracts 
 
15. Protection for acts done under Act 
 
 

 
 
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THE COTTON GINNING AND PRESSING FACTORIES ACT, 1925 
 
ACT NO. XII OF 1925 
 
 [18th March, 1925] 
 
An Act to provide for the better regulation of cotton ginning and cotton pressing factories 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the better regulation of cotton ginnin g and cotton 
pressing factories; it is hereby enacted as follows:⸻ 
 
 1. Short title, extent and commencement ⸻(1) This Act may be called the Cotton Ginning 
and Pressing Factories Act, 1925. 
 
 1[(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.] 
 
 (3) It shall come into force on such date 2 as the 3[Federal Government] may, by noti fication 
in the 4[official Gazette], appoint. 
 
 2. Definitions. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,⸻ 
 
 (a) “bale” means any pressed package of cotton of whatever size or density; 
 
 (b) “cotton” means ginned or unginned cotton or cotton waste; 
 
(c)     “cotton ginning factory” means any  place where cotton is ginned or where 
cotton fibre is separated from cotton seed by any process what ever involving 
the use of steam, water or other mechanical power or of electrical power; 
 
(d) “cotton pressing factory”  means any factory as  defined in the 5[Indian 
Factories Act, 1911 (XII of 1911)], in which cotton is pressed into bales; 
 
(e) “cotton waste” means droppings, strippings, fly and other waste products of a 
cotton mill or of a  cotton ginning factory or of a cotton pressing factory, but 
does not include yarn waste; 
 
(f) “6[Pakistan Central Cotton Committee]” means the 6[Pakistan Central Cotton 
Committee] constituted under the 7[Cotton Cess (Amendment) Act, 1948 ] and 
includes an y sub -committee appointed by it to perform any func tion of the 
6[Pakistan Central Cotton Committee] under this Act; and 
 
(g) “occupier” includes a managing agent or other person authorised to represent 
the occupier; 
 
  (h) “prescribed” means prescribed by or under rules made under this Act. 
 
 
1Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1 960 (XXI of 1960), s. 3 and 2nd Sch. ( with effect from the 14th October, 1955 ), for sub-
section (2), as amended by A. O., 1937, A. O. 1949 and the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act, 1951 (XXVI of 1951). 
2The 8th August, 1925; see Gen. R. & O.. 
3Subs. by the Federal Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975 (P. O. No. 4 of 1975), Art. 2 and Table. 
4Subs. by A. O., 1937. 
5“Indian Factories Act, 1911” were subs. with “Factories Act, 1934(XXV of 1934)” by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance, 1981 
(XXVII of 1981), s. 5, and Sch., IV, (only to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory). 
6Subs. by the Adaptation of Central Acts & Ordinances Order, 1949 (Order No. 4 of 1949), Art. 3 and Sch.  
7“Cotton Cess (Amendment) Act, 1948” were subs. with “Cotton Cess Act, 1923 (XIV of 1923)”  by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) 
Ordinance, 1981 (XXVII of 1981), s. 5, and Sch., IV, (only to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory). Earlier, the words “Cotton Cess (Amendment) 
Act, 1948,” were subs. by the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances Order 1949 (Order No. 4 of 1949). 
 
 
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 3. Maintenance of registers. ⸻(1) The owner of every cotton ginning factory shal l cause to 
be maintained at the factory in such form, if any as may be prescribed, a ginning register containing a 
record of all cotton ginned in the factory and of the names of the persons for whom and the dates on 
which the cotton has been ginned and of the amount ginned for each person. 
  
 (2) The owner of every cotton pressing factory shall cause to be maintained at the factory in 
such form, if any, as may be prescribed, a press register containing a daily record of the num ber of 
bales pressed in the f actory, the serial number of each bale, and the name of the person for whom it 
has been pressed. 
 
 (3) The owner or the person in charge of a cotton ginning or cotton pressing factory shall be 
bound to produce any ginning register or press register maintai ned under this section when re quired 
to do so by any person appointed by the 1[Provincial Government] in this behalf, and the owner or 
person in charge of any cotton pressing factory shall be bound to furnish to the 2[Pakistan Central 
Cotton Committee], if so required by it in writing, a copy, certified as correct by the owner or person 
in charge of the factory, of the entry in any press register maintained at the factory relating to any 
specified bale. 
 
 (4) No register required to be maintained by this s ection shall be destroyed until after the 
expiration of three years from the date of the last entry therein. 
 
  (5) If___ 
 
(a)    in any factory any register required by this section to be maintained is not 
maintained or is maintained in any form other than the form, if any, prescribed 
for the purpose, or 
 
(b)     any entry in any such register is proved to be false in any material particular, 
or 
 
(c)    any such register is destroyed before the expiration of the period referred to in 
sub-section (4), 
 
  the owner of the factory shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees or, if he has 
previously been convicted of any offence ,under this sub-section, to five hundred rupees. 
 
 (6) If the owner or the person in charge of any factory fails to p roduce any register, or to 
furnish a certified copy of any entry , when required to do so under sub -section (3), or furnishes a 
certified copy of an entry knowing or having reason to believe such copy to be false, he shall be 
punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees or, if he has previously been convicted of any 
offence under this sub-section, to five hundred rupees. 
 
 4. Marking of bales.⸻(1) The owner of every cotton pressing factory shall cause every bale 
pressed in the factory to be marked in such manner as may be prescribed before it is removed from 
the press-house, with a serial number and with the mark prescribed for the factory. 
 
 
 
 
1Subs. by A. O., 1937. 
2Subs. by the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949 (Order No. 4 of 1949), Art. 3 and Sch.  
 
 
 
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 (2) If any bale is removed from the press-house of any cotton pressing factory without having 
been marked as required by sub-section (1), the owner of the factory shall be punished with fine 
which may extend to fifty rupees.  
 
 5. Returns.⸻(1) The owner of every cotton pressing factory shall sub mit to the prescribed 
authority, within such time and in such form as may be prescribed, weekly returns showing the total 
number of bales of cotton pressed during the preceding week and from the com mencement of the 
season to the end of that week, and the approximate average net weight of the bales pressed in that 
week. 
 
 (2) The 1[Provincial Government] shall compile from the weekly returns, and shall publish in 
such manner as 1[it thinks fit], a statement showing the total number of bales pressed in the Province 
during the week and from the commencement of the season to the end of the week, to which the 
returns relate: 
 
  Provided that the number of bales pressed in any individual factory shall not be published. 
 
  (3) If default is made in submitting any return as required by sub-section (1), the owner of the 
factory shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees. 
 
 (4) Where the owner of a cotton pressing factory has notified to the pr escribed authority that 
the work of pressing bales in that factory has been suspended, it shall not be necessary for the owner 
to submit returns under sub-section (1) until such work has been resumed. 
 
 Explanation.⸻In this section “season” means the period notified in this behalf by the 
1[Provincial Government] in the 1[official Gazette]. 
 
 2[5A. Returns from cotton ginning factories .⸻(1) 3[This section shall be in force in 4[the 
Karachi Division and Baluchistan ] o nly; but the Provincial Government concerned may, by 
notification in the official Gazette, bring this  section into force in 5[East Pakistan or the remaining 
parts of West Pakistan].] 
 
  (2) The owner of every cotton ginning factory shall submit to the pres cribed authority, within 
such time and in such fo rm as may be prescribed, weekly returns showing the quantity of cotton 
ginned in the factory during the preceding week and from the commencement of the season to the 
end of that week. 
 
  (3) The Provincial Government shall compile from the weekly returns so submitted, and shall 
publish in such manner as it thinks fit, a statement showing the total quantity of cotton ginned in the 
Province during the week and from the commence ment of the season to the end of the week, to 
which the returns relate: 
 
  Provided that the quantity of cotton ginned in any individual factory shall not be published.  
 
 (4) If default is made in submitting any return as required by sub-section (2), the owner of the 
factory shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees. 
 
 
 
 
1Subs. by A. O., 1937. 
2Ins. by Act No. IX of 1942, s. 2. 
3Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (XXI of 1960), s. 3 and 2nd Sch., (with effect from the 14th October, 1955). 
4Subs. by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964 (P. O. No. 4 of 1964), Art. 2 and Sch. 
5“East Pakistan or the remaining parts of West Pakistan” were sub. with “the whole or any specified part of the  Province” by the Federal Laws 
(Revision and Declaration) Ordinance, 1981 (XXVII of 1981), s. 5 and Sch. IV (only to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory). 
 
 
 
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  (5) The provisions of sub -section (4) of section 5 apply to cotton ginning factories and the 
returns referred to in sub -section (2) of this section as they apply to cotton pressing factories and the 
returns referred to in sub -section (1) of section 5, and “season” in this section means the season as 
notified for the purposes of section 5.] 
 
 6. S cales and weights. ⸻(1) No scales or weights shall be used in any cotton ginning or 
cotton pressing factory other than the scales or weights, if any, prescribed by the 1[Federal 
Government] as standard for the district in which the factory is situated. 
 
  (2) If in any facto ry and scale or weight is used in contraven tion of the provisions of 
sub-section (1), the owner of the factory shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees 
or, if he has been previously convicted of any offence under this sub-section, to five hundred rupees. 
 
 7. Liability of lessee as owner.⸻(1) Where the owner of a cotton ginning or pressing factory 
has leased the factory for a period of not less than one month in the case of a cotton ginning factory, 
or three months in the case of a cotton pressing factory, and the lessor retains no interes t in the 
management or profits of the factory and notice of the lease has been given by the lessor and the 
lessee to the prescribed authority, the lessee shall be deemed to be the owner of the factory, from the 
date of the notice and for the period of the  continuance of the lease, for the purposes of section 3, in 
respect of the registers maintained or to be maintained from that date and for that period, and for the 
purposes of sections 4, 5 2[,5A] and 6. 
 
  (2) On the termination of the lease the lessee shall hand over to the lessor the registers 
maintained under section 3, and the lessor shall forthwith report to the prescribed authority any 
default of the lessee in complying with the provisions of this sub -section or in maintaining the 
registers in accordance with the provisions of section 3. 
 
 (3) If default is made in handing over any register or making any report as required by this 
section, the lessor or the lessee, as the case may be, shall be punished with fine which may extend to 
fifty rupees. 
 
 8. Liability on transfer of ownership. ⸻(1) On a transfer of the ownership of a cotton 
ginning of pressing factory, the transferor shall hand over to the transferee the registers maintained 
under section 3, and the transferee shall forth with report to the p rescribed authority any default of 
the transferor in complying with the provisions of this sub -section or in maintaining the registers in 
accordance with the provisions of section 3. 
 
 (2) If default is made in handing over any register or making any repor t as required by 
sub-section (1), the transferor or the transferee, as the case may be, shall be punished with fine which 
may extend to fifty rupees.  
 
 9. Structural requirements for factories. ⸻(1) In the case of cotton ginning factories the 
construction of which is commenced after the commencement of this Act⸻ 
 
(a)  gin-houses shall be provided with separate entrances and exits for the bringing 
in of unginned and the taking out of ginned cotton respectively, and 
 
 
1Subs. by Federal Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975 (P. O. No. 4 of 1975), Art. 2 and Table. 
2Ins. by Act No. IX of 1942, s. 3. 
 
 
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(b)  the factories shall be constructed in accordance with plans and specifications 
approved by the prescribed authority: 
 
  Provided that nothing in this sub -section shall apply to any factory in which only roller gins 
are used where the number of such gins is not more than four. 
 
 1[(1A) In any cotton ginn ing factory, whether erected be fore or after the commencement of 
this Act⸻ 
 
(a)  no structural alterations or additions, the construc tion of which commenced 
after the 27th day of Feb ruary, 1939, shall be made so as to minimise the 
degree of compliance of the factory as a whole with the requirements set forth 
in clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (1), and 
 
(b)  every structural addition (whether actually attached to any existing structure in 
the factory or not), the construction of which commenced after the last -men-
tioned date, shall be constructed in accor dance with plans and specifications 
approved by the prescribed authority; 
 
 Provided that nothing in this sub -section shall apply to any factory in which, after any 
alteration or addition has been made, only roller gins are used where the number of such gi ns is not 
more than four.] 
 
 (2) Within such period after the commencement of this Act as may be prescribed, the owner 
of every cotton pressing factory in which cotton is handled on the ground floor shall cause the 
press-house to be paved or provided with other suitable flooring to the satisfaction of the prescribed 
authority. 
 
 (3) If the owner of any factory fails to comply with any pro vision of this section which is 
applicable to the factory, he shall be punished with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees. 
  
 (4) (a)  Where the owner of a factory has been convicted under sub -section (3), the 
prescribed authority may serve on the owner of the factory an order in writing directing that such 
alterations shall be made in the factory, before a specified date, as in the opinion of the said authority 
are necessary to secure compliance with the provisions of sub -section (1), 1[sub-section (1A)] or 
sub-section (2), as the case may be.  
 
   (b)  Where the alterations are not made in accordance with the order  served under 
clause (a) of this sub-section, the prescribed authority may serve on the owner and on the occupier, if 
any, of the factory an order in writing directing that the work of ginning or pressing cotton in such 
factory shall be suspended until the  alterations have been made in accordance wit h the order served 
under clause (a) of this sub -section and the owner and the occupier, if any, shall be jointly and 
severally liable to fine which may extend to fifty rupees for each day on which cotton is ginn ed or 
pressed in the factory in contravention of the order served under this clause. 
 
 
 
1Ins. by Act No. XIV of 1939, s. 2.  
 
 
 
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  10. Liability of officers of a company.  Where the person guilty of an offence under this Act 
is a company, every director, manag er, secretary and other officer thereof who is knowingly a party 
to the default shall also be guilty of the like offence and liable to the like punishment. 
 
 11. Cognizance of offences.⸻(1) No prosecution under this Act shah be instituted except by 
or with the previous sanction of the District Magistrate 1[* * * ] 2[or a Magistrate of the first class 
specially empowered in this behalf by the 3[Provincial Government]] 
 
  (2) No offence pun ishable under this Act shall be tried by any Court inferior to that 1[* * *] 
of a Magistrate of the first class. 
 
 12. Power of the 4[Federal Government] to make rules.  The 4[Federal Government] may 
make rules to provide for___ 
 
(a)  the allotment of a spe cial mark to be used b y each pressing factory for the 
purpose of the marking of bales; 
 
(b)  the manner in which bales shall be marked; and 
 
3[(c)  the standard weights and scales to be used in cotton ginning and cotton     
pressing factories in any part of 5[Pakistan] and the inspection of the same.] 
 
 13. Power of the Provincial Government to make rules.  The 3[Provincial Government] 
may, by notification in the 3[official Gazette], make rules consistent with this Act to provide for all 
or any of the following matters, namely:⸻ 
 
(a)  the forms in which registers, records and returns are to be maintained or 
submitted, and the inspection of records and registers; 
 
(b) the appointment of the authority to whom and the time within which the 
returns required by 6[sections 5 and 5A] shall be made; 
 
(c)  3[* * * * * *        *] 
 
(d)  the appointment of authorities for the purposes of sections 7, 8 and 9; 
   
(e)  the manner of service of orders made under section 9; 
 
(f)  the powers of entry and inspection which may be exercised by District  
Magistrates or by any officer specially empowered in this behalf by the 
3[Provincial Government]; 
 
(g)  any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed or for which  provision 
is necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
 
 
 
 
 
1Omitted by the Adaptation of Central Acts & Ordinances Order, 1949 (Order No. 4 of 1949), Art. 3 and Sch. 
2“or a Magistrate of the first class specially empowered in this behalf by the Provincial Government” omitted by the Federal L aws (Revision and 
Declaration) Ordinance, 1981 (XXVII of 1981), s. 5 and Sch. IV (only to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory). 
3Subs. and omitted by A. O., 1937. 
4Subs. by the Federal Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975 (P. O. No. 4 of 1975), Art. 2 and Table. 
5Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (XXI of 1960), s. 3 and 2nd Sch. (with effect from the 14th October 1955). 
6Subs. by Act No. IX of 1942, s. 4. 
 
 
 
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 14. Power to reject unmarked bales in fulfillment of contracts. ⸻1[(1)] After the 
expiration of one year from the com mencement of this Act, any person who has made a contract for 
the purchase of baled cotton may require that no bales other than bales marked 1[with the mark 
prescribed under section 4 for the factory in which they were press ed] shall be supplied in fulfilment 
of such contract, and, if he does so require, no bale not so marked shall be tenderable in fulfilment of 
the contract: 
 
 1[*        *     *           *       *                    *                     *]     
     
 1[(2) Any bale marked in accordance with the provisions of section 4 shall, within the 
meaning of the Evidence Act, 1872 (I of 1872), be presumed. for all purposes as between the  parties 
to a contract for the purchase of baled cotton, to have been so marked  before leaving the factory n 
which it was pressed.] 
  
 15. Protection for acts done under Act. No suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted 
against any person in respect of anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under 
this Act. 
 
____________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
83434           Date: 17-01-2025 
1Re-numbered, subs., omitted and added by Act No. XIV of 1939, s. 3.