Explained provision · Punjab Privileges Act
Section 11C — Jurisdiction and Procedure of the Judicial Committee
Read Section 11C of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Privileges Act, 1972 on Judicial Committee jurisdiction, notice, evidence, safeguards and execution.
Original legal text
Verified statutory wording
The text below is reproduced separately from Shahbaz Shah's explanation. Paragraph spacing is normalised and amendment brackets and footnote markers are omitted for readability; the statutory wording is not paraphrased.
Section 11C(1)–(3)
11C. Jurisdiction and Procedure.— (1) The Judicial Committee of the Assembly, notified by the Speaker, for this purpose shall have exclusive jurisdiction to try offences and award punishments for the offences punishable under this Act excluding media persons. (2) On receipt of the reference, the Judicial Committee shall initiate proceedings against the accused in accordance with this Act and rules made thereunder. (3) The proceedings before the Judicial Committee shall commence by the issuance of a Notice, or a show-cause notice.
Section 11C(4)–(7)
(4) The Judicial Committee may administer oath to any person whose evidence is or may be, relevant. (5) The provisions of section 10 shall apply in all respects for the purposes of enabling evidence to be recorded before the Judicial Committee in like manner as they apply for the purpose of enabling evidence to be taken by a Committee and, for the purposes aforesaid, the Assembly or the Presiding Officer shall have the same powers as are conferred by that section on a Committee or the Chairman thereof. (6) Notwithstanding anything contained in the preceding provisions of this section, a person who is alleged to have committed an offence under this Act shall not be bound or compelled to make any statement under sub-section (4) in relation to that offence. (7) Notwithstanding anything contained to the contrary in any other law for the time being in force, the sentence awarded by the Judicial Committee shall be executed as if the same were a sentence awarded by the Magistrate of 1st Class.
Original analysis
Plain-language explanation
Section 11C supplies the statutory jurisdiction and procedure for the Judicial Committee after it receives a Section 11B reference. The Speaker's notification is part of the provision's text.
The section requires a notice or show-cause notice, permits relevant evidence on oath and applies Section 10 for evidence-gathering. It also states that an alleged offender cannot be bound or compelled to make a statement under Section 11C(4) about that offence.
The provision uses enforcement language: it describes offences and punishment, and it directs that a sentence awarded by the Judicial Committee be executed as if awarded by a Magistrate of the First Class. The current constitutional validity of the provision, if challenged, can only be determined by a competent court.
Legal test
Essential ingredients
- A Judicial Committee notified by the Speaker for the statutory purpose
- An offence punishable under the Act, subject to the express exclusion for media persons
- Receipt of a reference
- Notice or show-cause notice commencing the proceeding
- Application of the Act and rules made under it
Consequence
Legal effect
The Speaker-notified Judicial Committee has the exclusive statutory jurisdiction described in Section 11C to try offences and award punishments under the Act, subject to the section's terms and the Act as a whole.
Proof and process
Burden or procedural requirement
- The Committee must proceed after receipt of a reference and in accordance with the Act and rules made under it.
- The notice, specific alleged offence, Schedule entry, evidence process and any order should be identified in the record.
- Section 10 applies for recording evidence; Section 11C(6) preserves the stated protection against compelled self-incriminating statements in relation to the alleged offence.
Limits
Important exceptions and qualifications
- Section 11C expressly excludes media persons from its stated jurisdiction.
- The proceeding begins only on receipt of a reference and is governed by the Act and rules.
- Section 11D provides an appeal to the Speaker within thirty days; Section 11E addresses offences also punishable under ordinary law.
Primary source
Verify the complete statute
Last verified: 2026-07-30
Source status: Local consolidated research copy supplied to the Journal; verify the official Punjab Laws Portal and any later Gazette amendment before reliance.
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