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  "id": "punjab-code-727114afffe64c09",
  "title": "PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016",
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  "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/U2ZXYFFkVGA-",
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  "source_snapshot": "2026-08-06T16:58:35Z",
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  "text": "THE PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016 \r\n(XXIX of 2016) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definitions \r\n3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations \r\n4. Restriction on edibles \r\n5. Obligation of hotels, restaurants, etc \r\n6. Closing of marriage functions \r\n7. Committees \r\n8. Offence \r\n9. Cognizance of offence \r\n10. Disposal of food and other edibles \r\n11. Rules \r\n12. Repeal \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE PUNJAB MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS ACT 2016 \r\n(XXIX of 2016) \r\n[20th April, 2016] \r\nAn \r\nAct \r\nto regulate marriage functions and other related ceremonies. \r\nIt is expedient to provide for regulation of marriage functions and other related \r\nceremonies and to make incidental provisions. \r\nBe it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:– \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the \r\nPunjab Marriage Functions Act 2016. \r\n(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab. \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Act: \r\n(a) “committee” means a committee constituted under the Act; \r\n(b) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; \r\n(c) “marriage” includes a ceremony, preceding and succeeding the formal \r\nwedding, whether religious or social rituals such as mayun, mehndi \r\n(rasm-e-hina), barat, nikah, rukhsati or walima; \r\n(d) “one dish” means one salan, one rice dish, one salad, hot and cold \r\ndrinks, roti, nan and one sweet dish;  \r\n(e) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under the Act; and \r\n(f) “public place” means a club, hotel, restaurant, wedding hall, community \r\ncenter, community park, an open space or any private property hired \r\nfor a marriage. \r\n3. Prohibition of ostentatious celebrations .– A person celebrating his \r\nmarriage or organizing the marriage of any other person shall not: \r\n(a) decorate or cause to be decorated any street, road or public park or \r\nany place other than the building, where marr iage ceremony is being \r\nheld, with lights or illumination; \r\n(b) explode or allow anyone to explode cracker or other explosive device \r\nincluding firing by firearms; \r\n(c) display or allow anyone to display fireworks; \r\n(d) display or allow any person to display dowry to the public eye; and \r\n                                                           \r\n1This Act was passed by the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 14 April 2016; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on \r\n19 April 2016; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 20 April 2016, pp. 4671-4673. \r\n(e) cause or allow any person to cause nuisance or disturbance to the \r\nneighbourhood beyond reasonable celebrations.  \r\n4. Restriction on edibles.– A person celebrating his marriage or organizing the \r\nmarriage of any other person at a public place shall not serve or allow anyone to serve \r\nmeals or other edibles except one dish to the persons participating in the marriage. \r\n5. Obligation of hotels, restaurants, etc .– A person owning, managing or \r\nrunning a public place, being the site of marriage, or a caterer shall not serve or \r\nallow anyone to serve meals or other edibles to the persons participating in the \r\nmarriage except as provided in section 4 of the Act. \r\n6. Closing of marriage functions .– A person owning, managing or running a \r\npublic place, being the site of a marriage, shall ensure conclusion of all ceremonies \r\nrelating to the marriage on or before 10:00 pm. \r\n7. Committees.– (1) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, \r\nconstitute one or more committees for the enforcement of the provisions of the Act. \r\n(2) The committee constituted under subsection (1)  shall perform such \r\nfunctions in such manner as may be prescribed. \r\n8. Offence.– If a person contravenes the provisions of sections 3, 4, 5 or 6, he \r\nshall be guilty of an  offence punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which \r\nmay extend to one month and fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees \r\nor more than two million rupees. \r\n9. Cognizance of offence .– (1) Subject to this section, an offence under this  \r\nAct shall be bailable and cognizable on a complaint by an officer notified by the \r\nGovernment.  \r\n(2) A magistrate of the first class shall summarily try an offence under this \r\nAct in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XXII of the Code of Criminal \r\nProcedure, 1898 (V of 1898) on the report of the officer notified by the Government. \r\n(3) The Police shall associate the officer notified by the Government while \r\nentering a public place where marriage is being held for taking cognizance of an \r\noffence under this Act on a complaint of the notified officer.  \r\n10. Disposal of food and other edibles .– The food and other edibles procured, \r\nprepared, arranged or set for serving to the extent of  contravention of this Act shall \r\nbe forfeited and disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed. \r\n11. Rules.– The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the \r\npurposes of this Act. \r\n12. Repeal.– The Marriage Functions (Prohibition of Ostentatious Displays and \r\nWasteful Expenses) Ordinance 2000 (II of 2000), in it s application to the Province of \r\nthe Punjab, and the Punjab Marriage Functions Ordinance, 2015 (VI of 2016) are \r\nhereby repealed.",
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