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The Punjab Defamation Act 2024
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THE PUNJAB DEFAMATION ACT 2024
(ACT II OF 2024)
[7th June 2024]
An Act to make provisions in respect of defamation.
It is necessary to make provisions in respect of defamation and for matters connected
therewith and ancillary thereto.
Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:
1.
Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab
Defamation Act 2024.
(2)
It shall extend to whole of the Punjab.
(3)
It shall come into force at once.
2.
Definitions.– In this Act:
(a)
“Act” means the Punjab Defamation Act 2024;
(b)
“broadcasting” or “broadcast” means the dissemination of writings, signs,
signals, pictures and sounds of all kinds, including any electronic device,
intended to be received by the public through social media websites,
applications and platforms (including but not limited to Facebook,
Instagram, X/twitter, WhatsApp, TikTok etc.), either directly or through the
medium of relay stations, by means of:
(i)
a form of wireless radio-electric communication utilizing Hertzian
waves, including radio telegraph and radio telephone; or
(ii) cables, computers, wires, fiber-optic linkages or laser beams; or
(iii)
any other electronic or information technology medium or
technology;
(c)
“claim” means the claim in the form of a plaint or application instituted
before the Tribunal under section 11 hereof, for grant of decree for damages
and costs in favour of the Claimant and against the Defendant;
(d)
“Claimant” means the person who, being aggrieved of defamation,
institutes a claim before the Tribunal under this Act;
(e)
“Code” means the Code of Civil Procedure 1908 (V of 1908);
(f)
“Constitutional Office” means the President, Governor, Chief Justice of
Pakistan and Judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice and Judges of the
Lahore High Court, Prime Minister, leader of the Opposition in National
Assembly, Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairman of the Senate,
Chief Minister, leader of the Opposition in Provincial Assembly, Speakers
of Provincial Assemblies, Chairman and members of Election Commission
of Pakistan, the Auditor General of Pakistan, the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of
Staff Committee, the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff
and the Chief of the Air Staff;
(g)
“costs” mean and include the costs to be imposed and granted by the
Tribunal to the Parties to the proceedings under the Act;
(h)
“defamation” means publication, broadcast or circulation of a false or
untrue statement or representation made orally or in writing or visual form
either by ordinary form or expression or by electronic or other modern
medium, means or devices or through social media or any online or social
media website, application or platform, which injures or may have the effect
of injuring the reputation of a person or tends to lower him in the estimation
punjablaws.gov.pk/laws/2884.html
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