THE DOWRY AND BRIDAL GIFTS (RESTRICTION) (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1993 An Act further to amend the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976.

THE
DOWRY AND BRIDAL GIFTS (RESTRICTION)
(AMENDMENT) ACT, 1993

An Act further to amend the
Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
These recommendations of Pakistan Law Commission seek to amend the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976 in order to curtail extravagance in expenditure in marriage functions, to impose ban on demand of dowry and to protect the rights of brides in respect of their belongings and to resolve future disputes between the spouses.

Whereas it is expedient further to amend the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976 (XLIII of 1976), for the purposes hereinafter appearing;

It is hereby enacted as follows:

1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) (Amendment) Act, 1993.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

2. Amendment of Section 3, Act XLIII of 1976.- In the Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976 (XLIII of 1976) hereinafter called the said Act, in Section 3,-

(a) in sub-section (1).-

(i) for the words “five thousand rupees” the words “fifty thousand rupees if the marriage ceremony is held in urban area and twenty thousand rupees if such ceremony is held in rural area” shall be substituted; and

(ii) in the explanation for the words “five thousand rupees” the words and commas “fifty thousand rupees and twenty thousand rupees, respectively”, shall be substituted; and

(b) after sub-section (2), the following new sub-section (3) shall be added namely: “(3) No bridegroom or any person on his behalf shall demand dowry, gift or give any indication of such demand in any manner whatsoever”.

3. Amendment of Section 4, Act XLIII of 1976.- In the said Act, in Section 4, for the words “one hundred rupees” the words “four hundred rupees if the marriage ceremony is held in urban area and two hundred rupees if the marriage ceremony is held in rural area” shall be substituted.

4. Amendment of Section 6, Act XLIII of 1976.- In the said Act, in Section 6.-

(a) for the words “two thousand five hundred rupees” the words” twenty five thousand rupees if the marriage is ceremonised in urban area and ten thousand rupees if such ceremony is held in rural area” shall be substituted; and

(b) after the section amended as aforesaid, the following explanation shall be added, namely:

“Explanation:- All forms of extravagance, unnecessary illumination, firing or fire cracking, ‘mujras’ of any kind and serving food more than one dish at all marriage functions shall be avoided”.

5. Insertion of a new Section 6A, Act XLIII of 1976.- In the said Act after Section 6, the following new Section 6A shall be inserted, namely: “6A. Restriction of Attendance.- Whoever knowingly and wilfully attends a marriage function which is so extravagant that it is patently far beyond the limits specified by this Act shall be punished with fine amounting to rupees five hundred”.

6. Amendment of Section 8, Act XLIII of 1976.- In the said Act, in Section 8, after sub-section (2), the following new sub-section (3) shall be added, namely: “(3) The parents or guardians of each party to a marriage shall prepare and exchange complete list of dowry duly signed by all the witnesses of ‘Nikkah’ and by the ‘Nikkah Khawn’ at the time of ‘Nikkah’.