The Punjab Assembly on Thursday approved amendments to the Marriage Functions Bill, enforcing jail term and hefty fines on violators and placing strict limitations on food served at weddings in the province.
This was one of the six government bill passed on Thursday during the 12th sitting of the Punjab Assembly’s 20th session.
In a provision titled “prohibition of ostentatious celebrations”, the bill restricts citizens celebrating or organising marriage from “decorating any street, road or public park or any place other than the building…with lights or illumination”.
The law also puts in place restrictions on edibles being served during weddings, even if the functions take place at the family’s residence.
“A person celebrating his marriage or organising the marriage of any other person shall not serve or allow anyone to serve meals or other edibles except one dish to the persons participating in the marriage,” states the bill.
The restrictions apply to “consumption of meals within the house by the members of the family celebrating the marriage or the guests staying in the house in connection with the marriage”.
Moreover, citizens will be held accountable before the law if they “explode or allow anyone to explode crackers or other explosive devices including firearms,” the bill stipulates.
The Punjab Marriage Functions Bill also restricts people from “displaying fireworks or displaying dowry to the public and causing nuisance or disturbance to the neighbourhood”.
Violators may face a jail term of up to one month or a fine between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2,000,000. The bill was moved by the Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah.
SIX BILLS PASSED AMID LOW ATTENDANCE:
The House witnessed low attendance as it passed six bills on Thursday. Only 20 MPAs (5%) were present at the outset and 42 (11%) at the adjournment of the sitting
The Punjab Assembly met for three hours and 19 minutes. The sitting started at 1112 hours against the scheduled time of 1000 hours.
The Speaker presided over the sitting for 140 minutes while rest of the proceeding was chaired by the Deputy Speaker.
The Chief Minister did not attend the sitting.
The Leader of the Opposition attended the sitting for 77 minutes.
20 MPAs (5%) were present at outset and 42 (11%) at adjournment of the sitting.
None of the parliamentary leaders attended the sitting.
Three minority members were present.
Moved by provincial minister for law, the House passed six bills including the Punjab Forest (Amendment) Bill 2016; the Punjab Flood Plain Regulation Bill 2015; the Punjab Vigilance Committees Bill 2016; the Punjab Marriage Functions Bill 2015; the Punjab Economic Research Institute (Amendment) Bill 2016 and the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Bill 2015.
The House also witnessed introduction of the Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority Bill 2016.
The government side orally replied to six out of 16 starred questions appearing on the agenda. In addition, the lawmakers also asked 11 supplementary questions.
The House did not consider three adjournment motions while an adjournment motion was referred to the relevant committee.
A Calling Attention Notice (CAN) about law and order was taken up while two other notices on the same subject were not considered by the House.
The lawmakers spoke on five points of order consuming four minutes of the proceedings.
A PTI lawmaker pointed out the lack of quorum at 1302 hours following which the Chair ordered the bells to be rung for five minutes. The sitting resumed at 1309 hours after the quorum was completed.