New Punjab legislation enforces severe restrictions on wedding functions

LAHORE: 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.

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. 

“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 on edibles do not 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 cracker or other explosive device including firing by firearms”, the bill states.

The Punjab Marriage Functions Bill also restricts people from “displaying fireworks or displaying dowry to the public eye and causing nuisance or disturbance to the neighbourhood”.

Violators may face a jail term of up to one month or fine starting from Rs50,000 to Rs2,000,000. The bill was moved by the Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah.