PUNJAB SOUND SYSTEMS (REGULATION) ACT 2015

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THE PUNJAB SOUND SYSTEMS (REGULATION) ACT 2015 
(XVIII of 2015) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Prohibition on the use of sound system 
4. Regulation of sound system 
5. Inspections 
6. Punishment 
7. Power of seizure 
8. Cognizance and summary trial 
9. Compounding of offence 
10. Confiscation 
11. Annual report 
12. Power to make rules 
13. Repeal and savings 
14. Repeal 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB SOUND SYSTEMS (REGULATION) ACT 2015 
(XVIII of 2015) 
[18th March, 2015] 
An  
Act 
to regulate and control use of sound systems in the Punjab. 
Whereas it is expedient, for purposes of preventing public nuisance and the 
voicing of utterances of controversial nature likely to  cause public disorder ; to 
regulate, control and prohibit the use of certain sound systems in the Province in the 
interest of environment, public order, decency and prevention of incitement to 
terrorism or the commission of any offence, and to deal with ancillary matters; 
It is enacted as follows:– 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be c ited as the 
Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act 2015. 
(2) It shall extend to the whole of the Punjab. 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act: 
(a) “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898); 
(b) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(c) “place of worship” means a mosque, imambargah, church, temple or 
any other place of worship of any sect or religion; 
(d) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under the Act; 
(e) "public place" means a public street, a public thoroughfare, a public 
park or playground or any other place to which the members of the 
public or section of public have access with or without invitation; 
(f) “sound system” means a loudspeaker, sound amplifier or such other 
equipment as may be prescribed; and 
(g) “vicinity” means an area or place within ten yards of the place where 
the sound system is placed. 
3. Prohibition on the use of sound system.– (1) Subject to this Act, it shall be 
unlawful for any person to use, or assist in using, permit or allow use of a sound 
system which generates any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise or any noise which 
annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, rep ose, health, peace, or safety 
of persons in or beyond the vicinity. 
                                                           
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 06 March 2015; assented to by the Governor of the  Punjab on 17 March 
2015; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 18.3.2015, pages 3425-3427. 
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law, a  
person shall not use a sound system which contravenes the prescribed 
specifications. 
(3) The Government shall, by notification, determine the specifications of a 
sound system. 
4. Regulation of sound system .– (1) Subject to subsection (2), a  person shall 
not operate or use or cause to be operated or used a sound system: 
(a) in a public place, in a manner so as to cause or  to be likely to cause 
annoyance or injury to persons in the vicinity; or 
(b) in any place in the vicinity of– 
(i) a place of worship during prayer times; 
(ii) a hospital providing facilities for indoor patients at any time of 
day or night; 
(iii) an educat ional institution, a court, a hospital not providing 
facilities for indoor patients or any other public institution, office 
or undertaking during their usual working hours at a volume or in 
a manner whereby the working or the use of the establishment 
is likely to be disturbed by the use of the sound system; 
(iv) a house or any other place used for human dwelling at any time 
as may be prescribed; or   
(c) in a place of worship in a manner or at a volume whereby any sound from 
the sound system could be heard beyond ten yards outside the 
boundaries of the place of worship; or 
(d) in any public or private place, for the voicing of any sectarian or other 
utterances of controversial nature likely to lead to public disorder, if 
such utterances are or may be heard outside or beyond the immediate 
limits or precincts of such place. 
(2) Subject to subsection (2) of section 3, a person may use:  
(a) 
2
[not more than four external sound systems ] at a place of worship for 
the purpose of Azan, Arabic Khutba delivered on a Friday or on Eid 
prayers, announcement of death of a person, lost or found a thing or a 
person; or 
(b) an external sound system at a public place and during reasonable hours 
with the prior permission of the Government or an officer authori zed by 
the Government and the use of such sound system is in accord with the 
conditions mentioned in such permission. 
5. Inspections.– The police officer incharge of the local area police station shall, 
at such regular intervals as may be prescribed, inspect or cause to be i nspected 
sound systems of every place of worship to ensure compliance with the provisions of 
this Act and shall maintain record of all such inspections in the prescribed manner.  
                                                           
2Words “one external sound system” subs. by the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 
6. Punishment.– If a person contravenes any provision of section 3 or 4 , he 
shall be liable to punishment of imprisonment which may extend to six months and 
fine which shall not be less than twenty five thousand rupees but shall not exceed 
one hundred thousand rupees.  
7. Power of seizure .– (1) A police officer not below the rank o f Assistant Sub-
Inspector may seize any sound system used or reasonably suspected to have been 
used in the commission of an offence under this Act. 
(2) Any sound system seized under this section shall, as soon as may be, 
be produced before the Court having jurisdiction to try an offence under the Act. 
8. Cognizance and summary trial .– (1) An offence under this Act shall be 
cognizable and non-bailable.  
(2) A Magistrate of the first class shall conduct the trial of an offence under 
the Act in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XXII of the Code relating to the 
summary trials. 
9. Compounding of offence.– (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Government or 
an officer of the Government specifically authorized in this behalf may, at any stage, 
compound an offe nce under this Act subject to the deposit of administrative penalty 
which shall not be less than twenty five thousand rupees.  
(2) The offence under th e Act shall not be compoundable if the accused 
had been previously convicted under the Act or his previou s offence had been 
compounded by the Government or the officer authorized by the Government. 
10. Confiscation.– A court trying an offence under this Act may order the 
confiscation of any loudspeaker or sound amplifier or apparatus used in the 
commission of an offence under the Act. 
11. Annual report .– (1) Every Head of District Police shall send a monthly 
implementation report to the Government under this Act. 
(2) The Government shall, before 31 March each year, submit a 
consolidated implementation annual r eport in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 
relating to the preceding year containing summary of the activities and 
recommendations for implementation of the Act. 
12. Power to make rules .– The Government may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
13. Repeal and savings .– (1) The Punjab Regulation of Loudspeakers and 
Sound Amplifiers Ordinance, 1965 (II of 1965) is hereby repealed. 
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal of the Punjab Regulation of Loudspeak ers 
and Sound Amplifiers Ordinance, 1965  (II of 1965) , anything done or action taken 
under the repealed Ordinance, shall have the effect as if the thing is done or action 
taken under this Act.  
14. Repeal.– The Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Ordinance, 2015 (V of 
2015) is hereby repealed.