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  "title": "PUNJAB SOUND SYSTEMS (REGULATION) ACT 2015",
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  "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/U2ZVYlFiATM-",
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  "text": "THE PUNJAB SOUND SYSTEMS (REGULATION) ACT 2015 \r\n(XVIII of 2015) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definitions \r\n3. Prohibition on the use of sound system \r\n4. Regulation of sound system \r\n5. Inspections \r\n6. Punishment \r\n7. Power of seizure \r\n8. Cognizance and summary trial \r\n9. Compounding of offence \r\n10. Confiscation \r\n11. Annual report \r\n12. Power to make rules \r\n13. Repeal and savings \r\n14. Repeal \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE PUNJAB SOUND SYSTEMS (REGULATION) ACT 2015 \r\n(XVIII of 2015) \r\n[18th March, 2015] \r\nAn  \r\nAct \r\nto regulate and control use of sound systems in the Punjab. \r\nWhereas it is expedient, for purposes of preventing public nuisance and the \r\nvoicing of utterances of controversial nature likely to  cause public disorder ; to \r\nregulate, control and prohibit the use of certain sound systems in the Province in the \r\ninterest of environment, public order, decency and prevention of incitement to \r\nterrorism or the commission of any offence, and to deal with ancillary matters; \r\nIt is enacted as follows:– \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be c ited as the \r\nPunjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act 2015. \r\n(2) It shall extend to the whole of the Punjab. \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Act: \r\n(a) “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898); \r\n(b) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; \r\n(c) “place of worship” means a mosque, imambargah, church, temple or \r\nany other place of worship of any sect or religion; \r\n(d) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules made under the Act; \r\n(e) \"public place\" means a public street, a public thoroughfare, a public \r\npark or playground or any other place to which the members of the \r\npublic or section of public have access with or without invitation; \r\n(f) “sound system” means a loudspeaker, sound amplifier or such other \r\nequipment as may be prescribed; and \r\n(g) “vicinity” means an area or place within ten yards of the place where \r\nthe sound system is placed. \r\n3. Prohibition on the use of sound system.– (1) Subject to this Act, it shall be \r\nunlawful for any person to use, or assist in using, permit or allow use of a sound \r\nsystem which generates any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise or any noise which \r\nannoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, rep ose, health, peace, or safety \r\nof persons in or beyond the vicinity. \r\n                                                           \r\n1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 06 March 2015; assented to by the Governor of the  Punjab on 17 March \r\n2015; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 18.3.2015, pages 3425-3427. \r\n(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law, a  \r\nperson shall not use a sound system which contravenes the prescribed \r\nspecifications. \r\n(3) The Government shall, by notification, determine the specifications of a \r\nsound system. \r\n4. Regulation of sound system .– (1) Subject to subsection (2), a  person shall \r\nnot operate or use or cause to be operated or used a sound system: \r\n(a) in a public place, in a manner so as to cause or  to be likely to cause \r\nannoyance or injury to persons in the vicinity; or \r\n(b) in any place in the vicinity of– \r\n(i) a place of worship during prayer times; \r\n(ii) a hospital providing facilities for indoor patients at any time of \r\nday or night; \r\n(iii) an educat ional institution, a court, a hospital not providing \r\nfacilities for indoor patients or any other public institution, office \r\nor undertaking during their usual working hours at a volume or in \r\na manner whereby the working or the use of the establishment \r\nis likely to be disturbed by the use of the sound system; \r\n(iv) a house or any other place used for human dwelling at any time \r\nas may be prescribed; or   \r\n(c) in a place of worship in a manner or at a volume whereby any sound from \r\nthe sound system could be heard beyond ten yards outside the \r\nboundaries of the place of worship; or \r\n(d) in any public or private place, for the voicing of any sectarian or other \r\nutterances of controversial nature likely to lead to public disorder, if \r\nsuch utterances are or may be heard outside or beyond the immediate \r\nlimits or precincts of such place. \r\n(2) Subject to subsection (2) of section 3, a person may use:  \r\n(a) \r\n2\r\n[not more than four external sound systems ] at a place of worship for \r\nthe purpose of Azan, Arabic Khutba delivered on a Friday or on Eid \r\nprayers, announcement of death of a person, lost or found a thing or a \r\nperson; or \r\n(b) an external sound system at a public place and during reasonable hours \r\nwith the prior permission of the Government or an officer authori zed by \r\nthe Government and the use of such sound system is in accord with the \r\nconditions mentioned in such permission. \r\n5. Inspections.– The police officer incharge of the local area police station shall, \r\nat such regular intervals as may be prescribed, inspect or cause to be i nspected \r\nsound systems of every place of worship to ensure compliance with the provisions of \r\nthis Act and shall maintain record of all such inspections in the prescribed manner.  \r\n                                                           \r\n2Words “one external sound system” subs. by the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 \r\n6. Punishment.– If a person contravenes any provision of section 3 or 4 , he \r\nshall be liable to punishment of imprisonment which may extend to six months and \r\nfine which shall not be less than twenty five thousand rupees but shall not exceed \r\none hundred thousand rupees.  \r\n7. Power of seizure .– (1) A police officer not below the rank o f Assistant Sub-\r\nInspector may seize any sound system used or reasonably suspected to have been \r\nused in the commission of an offence under this Act. \r\n(2) Any sound system seized under this section shall, as soon as may be, \r\nbe produced before the Court having jurisdiction to try an offence under the Act. \r\n8. Cognizance and summary trial .– (1) An offence under this Act shall be \r\ncognizable and non-bailable.  \r\n(2) A Magistrate of the first class shall conduct the trial of an offence under \r\nthe Act in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XXII of the Code relating to the \r\nsummary trials. \r\n9. Compounding of offence.– (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Government or \r\nan officer of the Government specifically authorized in this behalf may, at any stage, \r\ncompound an offe nce under this Act subject to the deposit of administrative penalty \r\nwhich shall not be less than twenty five thousand rupees.  \r\n(2) The offence under th e Act shall not be compoundable if the accused \r\nhad been previously convicted under the Act or his previou s offence had been \r\ncompounded by the Government or the officer authorized by the Government. \r\n10. Confiscation.– A court trying an offence under this Act may order the \r\nconfiscation of any loudspeaker or sound amplifier or apparatus used in the \r\ncommission of an offence under the Act. \r\n11. Annual report .– (1) Every Head of District Police shall send a monthly \r\nimplementation report to the Government under this Act. \r\n(2) The Government shall, before 31 March each year, submit a \r\nconsolidated implementation annual r eport in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab \r\nrelating to the preceding year containing summary of the activities and \r\nrecommendations for implementation of the Act. \r\n12. Power to make rules .– The Government may, by notification in the official \r\nGazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. \r\n13. Repeal and savings .– (1) The Punjab Regulation of Loudspeakers and \r\nSound Amplifiers Ordinance, 1965 (II of 1965) is hereby repealed. \r\n(2) Notwithstanding the repeal of the Punjab Regulation of Loudspeak ers \r\nand Sound Amplifiers Ordinance, 1965  (II of 1965) , anything done or action taken \r\nunder the repealed Ordinance, shall have the effect as if the thing is done or action \r\ntaken under this Act.  \r\n14. Repeal.– The Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Ordinance, 2015 (V of \r\n2015) is hereby repealed.",
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