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  "title": "Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act, 1911",
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  "text": "Page 1 of 3 \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nTHE PREVENTION OF SEDITIOUS MEETINGS ACT, 1911 \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1.  Short title and extent \r\n2.  Power of provincial Government to notify proclaimed areas \r\n3.  Definition \r\n4.  Notice to be given of public meetings \r\n5.  Power to prohibit public meetings.  \r\n6.  Penalties \r\n7.  Penalty for delivery of speeches in public places \r\n8.  Cognizance of offences \r\n\r\n \r\nPage 2 of 3 \r\n \r\nTHE PREVENTION OF SEDITIOUS MEETINGS ACT, 1911 \r\n1Act No. X of 1911 \r\n[22nd March, 1911] \r\nAn Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the prevention of public meetings likely to \r\npromote sedition or to cause a disturbance of public tranquility. \r\n WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to the prevention of \r\npublic meetings likely to promote sedition or to cause a disturbance of public tranquility; It is hereby \r\nenacted as follows :- \r\n 1. Short title and extent.___ (1) This Act may be called the Prevention of Seditious Meetings \r\nAct, 1911. \r\n (2) It extends to 2[the whole of Pakistan], but shall have operation only in such 3[Province or \r\nparts of a Province] as the 4[Provincial Government] may from time to time notify in the 5[official \r\nGazette]. \r\n 2. Power of provincial Government to notify proclaimed areas.___ (1) The 6[Provincial \r\nGovernment] may 7* * * by notification in the 7[official Gazette], declare the whole or any part of a \r\nProvince, in which this Act is for the time being in operation, to be a proclaimed area. \r\n (2) A notification made under sub-section (1) shall not remain in force for more than six \r\nmonths, but nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to prevent the 5[Provincial Government] 6* * \r\n* from making any further notifications in respect of the same area from time to time as it may think \r\nfit. \r\n 3. Definition.___ (1) In this Act, the expression “public meeting” means a meeting which is \r\nopen to the public or any class or portion of the public. \r\n (2) A meeting may be a public meeting notwithstanding that it is held in a private place and \r\nnotwithstanding that admission thereto may have been restricted by ticket or otherwise. \r\n 4. Notice to be g iven of public meetings. ___(1) No public meeting for the furtherance or \r\ndiscussion of any subject likely to cause disturbance or public excitement, or for the exhibition or \r\ndistribution of any writing or printed matter relating to any such subject, shall b e held in any \r\nproclaimed area – \r\n \r\n \r\n1For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of India, 1911, Pt. V. p 100 ; and for Report of Select Committee, see ibid., 1911, Pt. V, p. 100 ; \r\nand for Proceedings in Council, see ibid., 1911, Pt. VI, pp. 362 and 452. \r\nThis Act has been amended to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory see, Ordinance No. XXVII of 1981, s. 5 and 4th Sch. \r\n2Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (21 of 1960), s. 3 and 2nd Sch. (with effect from the 14th October, 1955), for “all the \r\nProvinces and the Capital of the Federation” which had been subs. by A. O., 1949, Arts. 3(2) and 4, for “the whole of British India”. \r\n3Subs. by the Repealing and Amending Ordinance, 1961 (1 of 1961), s. 3 and 2nd Sch., for “Provinces or parts of Provinces”. \r\n4Subs. by A.O., 1937 for “G. G. in C.”. \r\n5Subs ibid., for “Gazette of India”. \r\n6 Subs. ibid., for “L. G.”. \r\n7The words “with the previous sanction of the G. G. in C.” rep., ibid \r\n \r\nPage 3 of 3 \r\n \r\n(a)  unless written notice of the intention to hold such meeting and of the time and \r\nplace of such meeting has been given to the District Magistrate 1* * *at least \r\nthree days previously ; or \r\n(b)  unless permission to hold such meeting has been obtained in writing from the \r\nDistrict Magistrate 1* * * \r\n Power of Magistrate to cause report to be taken. (2) The District Magistrate or any \r\nMagistrate of the first class authorized by the District Magistrate in this behalf may, by order in \r\nwriting, depute one or more Police-Officers, not being below the rank of head constable, or other \r\npersons, to attend any such meeting for the purpose of causing a report to be taken of the \r\nproceedings. \r\n Exception- (3) Nothing in this section shall apply to any public meeting held under any \r\nstatutory or other express legal authority 2* * *, or to any public meetings or class of public meetings \r\nexempted for that purpose by the 3[Provincial Government] by general or special order. \r\n 5. Power to prohibit public meetings. The District Magistrate 4 * * *, may at any time, by \r\norder in writing, of which public notice shall forthwith be given, prohibit any public meeting in a \r\nproclaimed area, if, in his opinion, such meeting is likely to promote sedition or disaffection or to \r\ncause a disturbance of the public tranquility. \r\n 6. Penalties. (1) Any person concerned in the promotion or conduct of a public meeting held \r\nin a proclaimed area contrary to the provisions of section 4 shall be punished with imprisonment for \r\na term which may extend to six Months, or With fine, or with both. \r\n (2) Any public meeting which has been prohibited, under section 5 shall be deemed to be an \r\nunlawful assembly within the meaning of Chapter VIII of the Pakistan Penal Code (XLV of 1860) \r\nand of Chapter IX of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898). \r\n 7. Penalty for delivery of speeches in public places. Whoever, in a proclaimed area, in a \r\npublic place or a place of public resort, otherwise than at a public meeting held in accordance with, \r\nor exempted from, the provisions of section 4, without the permission in writing of the Magistrate of \r\nthe District 5* * *, previously obtained, delivers any lecture, address or speech on any subject likely \r\nto cause disturbance or public excitement to persons then present, may be arrested without warrant, \r\nand shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or \r\nwith both. \r\n 8. Cognizance of offences:  No Court inferior to that 6* * * of a Magistrate of the first class \r\nor Sub-divisional Magistrate shall try any offence against this Act. \r\n 9. [Repeals.] Rep. by the Repealing Act, 1927 (XII of 1927), s. 2 and Schedule. \r\n \r\nDate: 11-09-2024 \r\n1The words and comma “or the Commissioner of Police, as the case may be” omitted by A. O., 1949, Sch. \r\n2The words “or to public meetings convened by a sheriff” omitted by A. O., 1949, Sch. \r\n3Subs. by A. O 1937, for “L. G.” \r\n4The words and comma “or the Commissioner of Police, “the case may be” omitted by A. O., 1949, Sch \r\n5The words and comma “or of the Commissioner of Police, as the case may be” omitted, ibid. \r\n6The words “of a Presidency Magistrate or” omitted, ibid.",
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