Marriage Functions (Prohibition of Ostentatious Displays and Wasteful Expenses) Ordinance, 2000

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THE MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS (PROHIBITION OF 
OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY AND WASTEFUL  
EXPENSES) ORDINANCE, 2000 
 
 
 
  
  
 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement.   
2. Interpretation. 
3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations. 
4. Restriction on wasteful expenses. 
5. Application of the Ordinance to hotels, restaurants, etc. 
6. Offences. 
7. Cognizance of offences. 
 
 
 
 

 
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THE MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS (PROHIBITION OF OSTENTATIOUS 
DISPLAYS AND WASTEFUL EXPENSES) ORDINANCE 2000 
Ordinance No. II of 2000 
    [13th January 2000] 
AN ORDIN ANCE whereas it is expedient to provide for the prohibition of ostentatious 
displays and wasteful expenses on marriages and ceremonies related thereto; 
 
AND WHEREAS the National Assembly and the Senate stand suspended in pursuance of the 
Proclamation of Emergency of the fourteenth day of October, 1999 and the President is satisfied that 
circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action; 
 
NOW, THEREFORE , in exercise of the powers conferred by the Provisional Constitution 
Order No. 1 of 1999 as amended including the Provisional Constitution (Amendment) Order No. 9 of 
1999, the President, on the advice of the Chief Executive, is pleased to make and promulgate the 
following Ordinance: 
 
1. Short title, extent and commence ment.—(1) This Ordinance may be called the Marriage 
Functions (Prohibition of Ostentatious Displays and Wasteful Expenses) Ordinance, 2000.  
 
(2)    It extends to the whole of Pakistan. 
 
(3)    It shall come into force at once. 
 
2. Interpretation .— For the pur poses of this Ordinance the expression “marriage” shall 
include all ceremonies, preceding and succeeding the formal wedding whether religious or civil 
rituals such as nikah, rukhsati, walima, mehndi, rasme -hina, and other functions and celebrations 
connected with marriage and related festivities. 
 
  3 Prohibition of ostenta tious celebra tions.—(1) Subject to sub -section (2) no person 
celebrating his marriage or the marriage of any other person shall 
 
(a) decorate or cause to be decorated any house or building including any space 
appertaining thereto, street, road or other place whether owned by him or 
otherwise with lights or illumination; 
 
(b) explode or allow any one to explode cracker or other explosive device including 
firing by firearm; or 
 
(c)    display or allow any one to display fire-works. 
 
(2)  Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall prohibit the use of such lights as are ordinarily 
necessary to light the house or any other place being the site of marriage.  
 
4. Restriction on wasteful expenses. ___(1) No person celebrating his or the marriage of any 
other person shall serve or allow any one to serve meals or other edibles to persons participating in 
the marriage in a club, hotel, restaurant, wedding hall, community centre or any other place except 
  
 
 
 
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1[one dish, which means one salan, rice with roti and one sweet dish with] hot and cold soft drinks. 
(2)  Nothing contained in sub -section (1) shall apply to the eating of meals within the house 
by the members of family celebrating the marriage or the house guests. 
5. Application of the Ordinance to hotels, restaurants, etc. No person owning or running a 
hotel, restaurant, wedding hall, community centre, or club being   the site of a marriage ceremony or 
any caterer shall serve or allow any one to serve any meals or edibles to the persons participating in 
the marriage ceremony other than hot and cold soft drinks. 
  
6. Offences. Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 3, section 4 or section 5 shall be 
guilty of an offence punishable with simple imprison ment for a ter m which may extend to one 
month or with fine which shall be not less than one hundred thousand rupees and not more than five 
hundred thousand rupees or with both. 
 
  7. Cognizance of offences. —(1) The offences under this Ordinance shall be no ncognizable 
and no court shall take cognizance of an offence under this Ordinance except on a complaint in 
writing by an officer or agency as the Federal Government or a Provincial Government may, by 
notification in the official Gazette, appoint. 
 
    (2) No court inferior to that of the Magistrate of the first class shall try an offence under this 
Ordinance. 
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 32 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 
1898, (Act V of 1898) it shall be lawful for any Magistrate of  the first cla ss to pass any sentence 
authorized by this Ordinance even if such sentence exceeds his power under the said section 32. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  1Ins. by the Marriage Functions (Prohibition of Ostentatious Displays and Wasteful Expenses) (Amdt.) Act, 2006.(4 of 2006), s. 2. 
 
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