PUNJAB REGISTRATION OF GODOWNS ACT 2014

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THE PUNJAB REGISTRATION OF GODOWNS ACT 2014  
(XXI of 2014) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Essential articles 
4. Stocking of essential articles 
5. Registration of godown 
6. Maintenance and inspection of records 
7. Powers of Registering Authority 
8. Appeal 
9. Bar of jurisdiction 
10. Penalty 
11. Rules 
12. Repeal 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB REGISTRATION OF GODOWNS ACT 2014  
(XXI of 2014) 
[10th November, 2014] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the registration of godowns in the Punjab. 
Whereas it is expedient to register godowns; to provide for a comprehensive 
system regarding stable supply and availability of essential articles;  and to deal with 
ancillary matters; 
It is enacted as follows: 
1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Act may be cited as the 
Punjab Registration of Godowns Act 2014. 
(2) It shall extend to whole of the Punjab. 
(3) It shall come into force with effect from 7 September 2014. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act: 
(a) “essential article” means  an article declared as essential article under 
section 3 of the Act; 
(b) “godown” means the premises, warehouse, cold storage or depot use 
for storing of an essential article; 
(c) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(d) “owner” means an owner or lessee of a godown and includes the 
person in actual occupation or management of a godown; 
(e) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under the Act; 
(f) “Registering Authority” means the Director (Agriculture Economics and 
Marketing) of the Govern ment, Agriculture Department or any other 
officer appointed as the Registering Authority by the Government; and 
(g) “designated officer” means an officer appointed by the Registering 
Authority to inspect godowns, records, registers and accounts of the 
godowns under the Act. 
3. Essential articles.– The Government may, by notification, declare an article 
as essential article. 
4. Stocking of essential articles .– An owner shall not store or stock an 
essential article in the godown unless the godown is registered under this Act. 
                                                           
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly  on 24 October 2014; assented to by the Governor of the  Punjab on 08 
November 2014; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 10 November 2014, pages 1683-1685. 
5. Registration of godown .– (1) The owner shall, within thirty days from the 
date of commencement of this Act, in case of an existing godown and within sixty 
days from the date of commencement of operation of a new godown established 
after the commencement of the Act, make an application to the Registering Authority 
in the prescribed form for registration of the godown. 
(2) The Registering Authority, on receipt of the application, shall make 
such inquiry and require the owner to furnish such information as it deem necessary. 
(3) If the Registering Authority, as a result of the inquiry,  is satisfied that 
the information contained in the application or furnished by the owner in respect of 
the godown is correct, it shall register the godown. 
(4) The owner, whose godown is registered, shall comply with the 
provisions of this Act, the rules and the directions issued by the Registering Authority 
in respect of the godown or any essential article stored in the godown. 
6. Maintenance and inspection o f records .– The owner shall maintain and 
produce for inspection of such books, accounts and record relating to the essential 
articles stored in or removed from the godown and to furnish such information 
relating thereto as and when required by the Register ing Authority or the designated 
officer. 
7. Powers of Registering Authority .– The Registering Authority or the 
designated officer may enter and search a godown and seize any essential article in 
respect of which the Registering Authority or the designated officer has reasons to 
believe that: 
(a) a provision of this Act or the rules has been violated; or 
(b) the information furnished by the owner is not correct; or 
(c) any direction issued by the Registering Authority is or is about to be 
contravened. 
8. Appeal.– (1) Any person aggrieved by an order of the Registering Authority 
may, within thirty days from the date of communication of such order, prefer an 
appeal to the Government and the Government may set aside, modify or confirm the 
impugned order.  
(2) In case, no appeal is filed within thirty days, the order of the 
Registering Authority shall be final and, in case, an appeal is preferred, the order of 
the Government on such appeal shall be final. 
9. Bar of jurisdiction .– (1) No suit, prosecution or any ot her legal proceeding 
shall lie against any person for anything, in good faith, done or intended to be done 
under this Act or the rules. 
(2) No court shall call in question, or permit to be called in question, 
anything done or any action taken under this Act or the rules. 
(3) No court shall grant any injunction or make any order, nor shall any 
court entertain any proceedings, in relation to anything done or intended to be done 
or any action taken or intended to be taken under this Act or the rules. 
10. Penalty.– (1) If a person contravenes any provision of this Act, creates any 
obstacle or prevents the Registering Authority or the designated officer from 
performing their functions under the Act, such person shall be punished with an 
imprisonment which may ext end to three years or with fine which may extend to 
three hundred thousand rupees or with both.  
(2) A court shall not take cognizance of an offence under this section 
unless an officer authorized by the Government submits a complaint in writing. 
11. Rules.– The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make 
rules for carrying out purposes of this Act. 
12.  Repeal.– The Punjab Registration of Godowns Ordinance 2014 (VIII of 2014) 
is hereby repealed.