THE PUNJAB HIGH SECURITY ZONES (ESTABLISHMENT) ACT 2026 (XLI of 2026) CONTENTS 1. Short title, extent and commencement 2. Definitions 3. Provincial and District Intelligence Committees 4. Declaration of high security zones 5. Declaration of designated areas 6. Permission 7. Appeal 8. Revision 9. Power of seizure 10. Punishment 11. Cognizable and non-bailable 12. Confiscation 13. Indemnity 14. Power to make rules 15. Power to issue guidelines 2 TEXT 1 THE PUNJAB HIGH SECURITY ZONES (ESTABLISHMENT) ACT 2026 (XLI of 2026) [14 May 2026] An Act to provide for declaring of high security zones and designated areas to regulate public gatherings and prohibiting of activities prejudicial to safety and security of general public in the Punjab. It is necessary to provide for declaring of high security zones and designated areas to regulate public gatherings and prohibiting of activities prejudicial to safety and security of general public in the Punjab, and to provide for the matters ancillary thereto and connected therewith. It is hereby enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows: 1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab High Security Zones (Establishment) Act 2026. (2) It extends to whole of the Punjab. (3) It shall come into force at once. 2. Definitions.– In the Act: (a) “Act” means the Punjab High Security Zones (Establishment) Act 2026; (b) “Department” means Home Department of the Government; (c) “designated area” means an area as such designated under section 5 of the Act; (d) “District Intelligence Committee” means the District Intelligence Committee as provided under section 3 of the Act; (e) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; (f) “guidelines” means the guidelines issued under the Act; (g) “high security zone” means an area of a district as such notified under section 4 of the Act; (h) “non-designated area” means any area other than the high security zone and designated area; (i) “person” means a person or a group of persons, both natural and legal, and includes political parties, religious parties, unions and associations; (j) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules or the guidelines made or issued under the Act; 1This Act was passed by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 07 May 2026; and was assented to by Governor of the Punjab on 14 May 2026; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 14 May 2026, pp. 6093-6095. 3 (k) “Provincial Intelligence Committee” means the Provincial Intelligence Committee as provided under section 3 of the Act; (l) “public gathering” means public rallies, sit -ins, protests, political gatherings or any activity relating to demonstrations for any purpose; (m) “rules” means the rules made under the Act; and (n) "Secretary" means Secretary to the Government, Home Department. 3. Provincial and District Intelligence Committees .– (1) There shall be a Provincial Intelligence Committee to be headed by the Secretary and have such members as may be determined by the Government and notified in the official Gazette. (2) There shall be a District Intelligence Committee, in each district, to be headed by the Deputy Commissioner and have such members as may be notified by the Department. 4. Declaration of high security zones .– (1) The Secretary may, on the recommendations of the concerned District Intelligence Committee as ratified by the Provincial Intelligence Committee, by notification in the official Gazette, declare an area of a district as a high security zone. (2) The Secretary may, on the recommendations of the Provincial Intelligence Committee, revoke such notification at any time. (3) No person shall hold public gathering in a high security zone. 5. Declaration of designated areas .– (1) The Secretary may, on the recommendations of the concerned District Intelligence Committee as ratified by the Provincial Intelligence Committee, by notification in the official Gazette, declare designated areas of a district where public gathering may be carried out subject to such conditions as may be notified. (2) The Secretary may, on the recommendations of the Provincial Intelligence Committee, revoke such notification at any time. (3) No person shall hold public gathering at a designated area except with prior permission under the Act. 6. Permission.– (1) Any person who intends to hold a public gathering at the designated area shall submit a written application to the concerned Deputy Commissioner, at least twenty days prior to holding of such public gathering: Provided that in case of urgency or special circumstances, the Deputy Commissioner may dispense with the condition of at least twent y days prior application. (2) The concerned Deputy Commissioner, within five days of the receipt of the application under sub-section (1), may: (a) accept the application and grant permission for gathering in the designated area on such terms and conditions a s he may deem appropriate; or 4 (b) reject the application through a written order after affording an opportunity of hearing to the applicant; or (c) place the application before the District Intelligence Committee which shall decide such application within three days. (3) In case, District Intelligence Committee recommends to grant permission for the public gathering, the Deputy Commissioner shall, in the designated area, on such terms and conditions as he may deem appropriate, allow for such gathering. 7. Appeal.– (1) Any person aggrieved by an order passed by a Deputy Commissioner under the Act, may, within two days from the passing of the order, prefer an appeal to the concerned Divisional Commissioner. (2) The Divisional Commissioner shall, after affording a n opportunity of personal hearing to the appellant and the representative of the Deputy Commissioner, pass such order as he may deem necessary. (3) The Divisional Commissioner shall dispose of the appeal as soon as may be but not later than five days from its submission and shall immediately communicate the decision to the appellant and the Deputy Commissioner concerned. 8. Revision.– (1) Any person against whom an order has been passed by a Divisional Commissioner under the Act may file a revision petit ion before the Secretary within three days from the passing of such order by the Divisional Commissioner. (2) The Secretary or an officer authorized by him in this behalf, shall decide the revision petition through a written order within five days of its filing. 9. Power of seizure .– The head of District Police may authorize a police officer not below a Station House Officer to seize any material or equipment including vehicles, chairs, carpets, sound system, stage, rostrum, banners and such other material used or reasonably suspected to have been used in contravention of the provisions of the Act. 10. Punishment.– (1) Whoever holds or attempts to hold or abets or facilitates in holding of, or participates in public gathering in a high security zone, shall be liable to punishment with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year and not more than three years and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to rupees five hundred thousand. (2) Whoever holds or attempts to hold or abets or facilitates in holding of, or participates in public gathering in a non -designated area, shall be liable to punishment with simple imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months and not more than one year and shall also be liable to fine which may extend to rupees three hundred thousand. (3) Whoever holds or attempts to hold or abets or facilitates in holding of, or participates in public gathering in designated area without permission of Deputy Commissioner concerned, shall be l iable to fine which may extend to rupees one hundred thousand. 5 (4) Whoever causes loss to public or private property during the holding of or attempts to hold or abets or facilitates in holding of, or participates in public gathering in a designated area with or without permission of Deputy Commissioner concerned or in a non-designated area or in a high security zone, shall also be liable to pay fine equal to the loss caused, in addition to the penalty provided under the foregoing subsections. 11. Cognizable and non-bailable.– An offence under the Act shall be cognizable, non-bailable and tried under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898). 12. Confiscation.– A court trying an offence under the Act may pass any order with regard to any material or equipment used in the commission of an offence under the Act, including confiscation of such material or equipment. 13. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any person for anything which is done or intended to be done in good faith in pursuance of the Act or any rule or guideline made or issued thereunder. 14. Power to make rules .– The Governm ent may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules to give effect to the provisions of the Act. 15. Power to issue guidelines .– Subject to the provisions of the Act and the rules, the Secretary may issue guidelines for carrying out the purposes of the Act.