THE
PREVENTION OF SEDITIOUS MEETINGS ACT, 1911
(Act No. 10 of 1911)
[22nd March 1911]
2. Power of
State Government to notify proclaimed areas.
3. Definition.
4. Notice to be
given of public meetings.
5. Power to prohibit public
meetings.
6. Penalties.
7. Penalty for
delivery of speeches in public places.
9. Repealed.
THE
PREVENTION OF SEDITIOUS MEETINGS ACT, 1911
(Act No. 10 of 1911)
An Act to
consolidate and amend the law relating to the prevention of public meetings
likely to promote sedition or to cause a disturbance of public tranquility
Whereas it is expedient to
consolidate and amend the law relating to the prevention of public meetings
likely to promote sedition or to cause a disturbance of public tranquility, it
is hereby enacted as follows: -
(1) This Act may be called the Prevention of
Seditious Meetings Act, 1911.
(2) It
extends to the whole of India except the territories which, immediately before
the 1st November 1956 were comprised
in Part B States but shall have operation only in such States or parts of
States as the State Government may from time to time notify in the official
Gazette.
2. Power of State Government to
notify proclaimed areas. –
(1) The Government may, by notification in the official
Gazette declare the whole or any part of a Province, in which this Act is for
the time being in operation, to be a proclaimed area.
(2) A
notification made under sub-section (1) shall not remain in force for more than
six months, but nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to prevent the State
Government from making any further notifications in respect of the same area
from time to time as it may think fit.
(1) In this Act, the expression “public meeting” means a meeting, which is open to the public or any class or
portion of the public.
(2) A meeting may be a public meeting
notwithstanding that it is held in a private place and notwithstanding that
admission thereto may have been restricted by ticket or otherwise.
4. Notice to be given of public meetings. –
(1) No public meeting for the furtherance or
discussion of any subject likely to cause disturbance or public excitement or
for the exhibition or distributor, of any writing or printed matter relating to
any such subject shall be held in any proclaimed area-
(a) Unless
written notice of the intention to hold such meeting and of the time and place
of such meeting has been given to the District Magistrate or the Commissioner
of Police, as the case may be, at least three days previously;
(b) Unless
permission to hold such meeting has been obtained in writing from the District
Magistrate or the Commissioner of Police, as the case may be.
(2) Power of Magistrate to cause report to be taken. -The District Magistrate or Prevention of
Seditious Meetings Art, 1911 any Magistrate of the first
class authorised by the District Magistrate in this behalf may, by order in
writing, depute one or more Police-officers, not being below the rank of head
constable or other persons to attend any such meeting for the purpose of
causing a report to be taken of the proceedings.
(3) Exception. -(3) Nothing in this section shall apply to any public
meeting held under any statutory or other express legal authority or to public
meetings convened by a Sheriff or to any public meeting or class of public
meetings exempted for that purpose by the State Government by general or
special order.
STATE AMENDMENT
Punjab, Haryana and
Chandigarh
In sub-section (2) of Section 4, for the words
“Magistrate of the first class” substitute the words “Executive Magistrates of
the first class,”
[Punjab Act 25 of 1964 and Central Act 31 of 1966].
5. Power to prohibit public meetings.-The District Magistrate or the Commissioner of Police as the case may be may
at any time, by order in writing, of which public notice shall forthwith
be given, prohibit any public meeting in a proclaimed area if, in his opinion,
such meeting is likely to promote sedition or disaffection or to cause a disturbance
of the public tranquility.
6. Penalties. -
(1) Any person concerned in the promotion or
conduct of a public meeting held in a proclaimed area contrary to the
provisions of Section 4 shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
(2) Any
public meeting which has been prohibited under Section 5 shall be deemed to be
an unlawful, assembly within the meaning of Chapter VIII of the Indian Penal
Code (45 of 1860) and of 1[Chapter IX of
the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898).]
1. Now see Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2
of 1974).
7. Penalty for delivery of speeches in public places. -Whoever, in a proclaimed area, in a public
place or a place of public resort, otherwise than at a public meeting held in
accordance with or exempted from the provisions of Section 4 without the
permission in writing of the Magistrate of the District or of the Commissioner
of Police, as the case may be, previously obtained, delivers any lecture,
address or speech on any subject likely to cause disturbance or public
excitement to persons then present may be arrested without warrant and shall be
punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with
fine or with both.
8. Cognizance of offences. -No Court inferior to
that of a Presidency Magistrate or of a Magistrate of the first class or
Sub-Divisional Magistrate shall try any offence against this Act.
STATE AMENDMENT
Gujarat and Maharashtra:
Delete the words “or Sub-Divisional State
Government” in Section 8 of the principal Act.
(Bom.
Act 23 of 1951 and Guj. A.L.O.
1960]
9. Repealed. [Repealed by the Repealing Act, 1927 (12 of
1927) Section 2 and Schedule.]