PUNJAB TENDOO LEAVES (PROHIBITION ON POSSESSION AND USE IN THE BORDER-BELT) ACT, 1974

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THE PUNJAB TENDOO LEAVES (PROHIBITION ON 
POSSESSION AND USE IN THE BORDER-BELT) ACT, 1974 
(IV of 1974) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Restriction on manufacture of bidi and possession of tendoo leaf in the 
border-belt 
4. Penalties 
5. Offences by Companies 
6. Procedure 
7. Power to seizure 
8. Power to search without warrant 
9. Power to make rules 
10. Repeal of Punjab Ordinance No. XXII of 1973 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB TENDOO LEAVES (PROHIBITION ON POSSESSION AND 
USE IN THE BORDER-BELT) ACT, 1974 
(IV of 1974) 
[1st March, 1974] 
An  
Act  
to provide for prohibition on the possession and use of tendoo leaves in the border-
belt of the Province of the Punjab. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is expe dient to provide for prohibition on the possession 
and use of tendoo leaves in the border -belt of the Province of the Punjab, including 
the manufacture of bidi and matters incidental and supplemental thereto; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
1. Short tit le and commencement .– (1) This Act may be called the Punjab 
Tendoo Leaves (Prohibition on Possession and Use in the Border-Belt) Act, 1974. 
 (2) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subje ct or 
context– 
(a) “border-belt” means the area extending upto ten miles inside the 
Province of the Punjab from the International boundary line of Pakistan; 
(b) “Government” means the Government of the Punjab; and 
(c) “tendoo leaf” means a leaf commonly kn own as such and used for the 
manufacture of bidi. 
3. Restriction on manufacture of bidi and possession of tendoo leaf in the 
border-belt.– (1) No person shall manufacture bidi in the border-belt. 
 (2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub -section (1), no person in the 
border-belt shall be in possession for any purpose, of any tendoo leaf. 
4. Penalties.– (1) Whoever contravenes any provision of this Act, shall be 
punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with 
fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both. 
 (2) Where a Court convicts a person of an offence punishable under sub -
section (1), the Court shall direct that the bidi or the tendoo leaves in respect of 
which the offence has been committed be forfeited to Government. 
5. Offences by Companies.– If the person contravening any provision of this 
Act be a company or other body corporate, Managing Director, Managing Agent, 
                                                 
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 8th February, 1974; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 1st March, 
1974; and, published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 1st March, 1974, pages 246-A to 246-C. 
Managing Partner, Manager, Secretary, and Executive Officer thereof shall, unless 
he pr oves that the contravention took place without his knowledge or that he 
exercised due diligence to prevent such contravention, be deemed to be guilty of 
such contravention. 
6. Procedure.– (1) No Court inferior to that of a Magistrate of the First Class 
shall try any offence punishable under this Act. 
 (2) No Court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this 
Act except on the complaint of any M agistrate or a police officer not below the rank 
of Assistant Sub -Inspector or an Excise Officer not below the rank of Sub -Inspector 
or any other officer of Government authorised in this behalf by Government. 
7. Power to seizure .– Any police officer not below the rank of Assistant Sub -
Inspector or any officer authorised by Government in this behalf, may s eize the 
tendoo leaf or bidi together with anything whatsoever used or suspected to have 
been used in the commission of an offence under this Act. 
8. Power to search without warrant .– Any police officer not below the rank of 
Assistant Sub-Inspector or any other officer authorised by Government in this behalf, 
may search any person, premises, vessel, vehicle, packages, receptacle or covering 
as to satisfy himself whether or not an offence under this Act has been committed: 
 Provided that no premises shall be  searched under this section except under 
the authority of a warrant issued by the Magistrate having jurisdiction in the area. 
9. Power to make rules .– Government may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
10. Repeal of Punjab Ordinance No. XXII of 1973.– The Punjab Tendoo Leaves 
(Prohibition on Possession and Use in the Border -Belt) Ordinance, 1973 (Punjab 
Ordinance No. XXII of 1973), is hereby repealed.