PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016

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THE PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016 
(XXIX of 2016) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations 
4. Restriction on edibles 
5. Obligation of hotels, restaurants, etc 
6. Closing of marriage functions 
7. Committees 
8. Offence 
9. Cognizance of offence 
10. Disposal of food and other edibles 
11. Rules 
12. Repeal 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016 
(XXIX of 2016) 
[20th April, 2016] 
An 
Act 
to regulate marriage functions and other related ceremonies. 
It is expedient to provide for regulation of marriage functions and other related 
ceremonies and to make incidental provisions. 
Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:– 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the 
Punjab Marriage Functions Act 2016. 
(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab. 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act: 
(a) “committee” means a committee constituted under the Act; 
(b) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(c) “marriage” includes a ceremony, preceding and succeeding the formal 
wedding, whether religious or social rituals such as mayun, mehndi 
(rasm-e-hina), barat, nikah, rukhsati or walima; 
(d) “one dish” means one salan, one rice dish, one salad, hot and cold 
drinks, roti, nan and one sweet dish;  
(e) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under the Act; and 
(f) “public place” means a club, hotel, restaurant, wedding hall, community 
center, community park, an open space or any private property hired 
for a marriage. 
3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations .– A person celebrating his 
marriage or organizing the marriage of any other person shall not: 
(a) decorate or cause to be decorated any street, road or public park or 
any place other than the building, where marr iage ceremony is being 
held, with lights or illumination; 
(b) explode or allow anyone to explode cracker or other explosive device 
including firing by firearms; 
(c) display or allow anyone to display fireworks; 
(d) display or allow any person to display dowry to the public eye; and 
                                                           
1This Act was passed by the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 14 April 2016; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 
19 April 2016; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 20 April 2016, pp. 4671-4673. 
(e) cause or allow any person to cause nuisance or disturbance to the 
neighbourhood beyond reasonable celebrations.  
4. Restriction on edibles.– A person celebrating his marriage or organizing the 
marriage of any other person at a public place shall not serve or allow anyone to serve 
meals or other edibles except one dish to the persons participating in the marriage. 
5. Obligation of hotels, restaurants, etc .– A person owning, managing or 
running a public place, being the site of marriage, or a caterer shall not serve or 
allow anyone to serve meals or other edibles to the persons participating in the 
marriage except as provided in section 4 of the Act. 
6. Closing of marriage functions .– A person owning, managing or running a 
public place, being the site of a marriage, shall ensure conclusion of all ceremonies 
relating to the marriage on or before 10:00 pm. 
7. Committees.– (1) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, 
constitute one or more committees for the enforcement of the provisions of the Act. 
(2) The committee constituted under subsection (1)  shall perform such 
functions in such manner as may be prescribed. 
8. Offence.– If a person contravenes the provisions of sections 3, 4, 5 or 6, he 
shall be guilty of an  offence punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which 
may extend to one month and fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees 
or more than two million rupees. 
9. Cognizance of offence .– (1) Subject to this section, an offence under this  
Act shall be bailable and cognizable on a complaint by an officer notified by the 
Government.  
(2) A magistrate of the first class shall summarily try an offence under this 
Act in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XXII of the Code of Criminal 
Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898) on the report of the officer notified by the Government. 
(3) The Police shall associate the officer notified by the Government while 
entering a public place where marriage is being held for taking cognizance of an 
offence under this Act on a complaint of the notified officer.  
10. Disposal of food and other edibles .– The food and other edibles procured, 
prepared, arranged or set for serving to the extent of  contravention of this Act shall 
be forfeited and disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed. 
11. Rules.– The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the 
purposes of this Act. 
12. Repeal.– The Marriage Functions (Prohibition of Ostentatious Displays and 
Wasteful Expenses) Ordinance 2000 (II of 2000), in it s application to the Province of 
the Punjab, and the Punjab Marriage Functions Ordinance, 2015 (VI of 2016) are 
hereby repealed.