THEPOISONSACT,1919

CONTENTS
1

Shorttitleandextent

Poweroftheprovincialgovernmenttoregulatepossessionforsaleandsaleofany
poison

Powertoprohibitimportationintopakistanofanypoisonexceptunderlicence

Powertoregulatepossessionofanypoisonincertainareas

Presumptionastospecifiedpoisons

Penaltyforunlawfulimportation,etc

Powertoissuesearchwarrants

Rule

Savings

10

Repealofactiof1904

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THEPOISONSACT,1919
1ACTNo.XIIof1919

[3rdSeptember,1919]
AnActtoconsolidateandamendthelawregulatingtheimportation,possessionandsaleof
poisons2***.
WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law regulating the importation,
possessionandsaleofpoisons2***
Itisherebyenactedasfollows:
1.Shorttitleandextent.__(1)ThisActmaybecalledthePoisonsAct,1919.
3[(2)ItextendstothewholeofPakistan.]

2. Power of the provincial Government to regulate possession for sale and sale of any
poison.__(1) 4***,the 5[ProvincialGovernment]maybyruleregulatewithinthewholeoranypart
oftheterritoriesunderitsadministrationthepossessionforsaleandthesale,whetherwholesaleor
retail,ofanyspecifiedpoison.
(2)Inparticular,andwithoutprejudicetothegeneralityoftheforegoingpower,suchrulesmay
providefor
(a)thegrantoflicencestopossessanyspecifiedpoisonforsale,wholesaleorretail,andthe
fixingofthefee(ifany)tobechargedforsuchlicences
1 ForStatementofObjectsandReasons,seeGazetteofIndia,1919Pt.V,p.22andforProceedingsinCouncil,seeibid.,1919,Pt.VI,pp.170and872.

ThisActhasbeenappliedtoPhuleraintheExcludedAreaofUpperTanawaltotheextenttheActisapplicableintheN.W.F.P.,subjecttocertainmodificationsandextendedto
theExcludedAreaofUpperTanawal(N:W.F.P.)otherthanPhulerawitheffectfromsuchdateandsubjecttosuchmodificationsasmaybenotified,seeN:W.F.P.(UpperTanawal)
(ExcludedArea)LawsRegulation,1950.
IthasalsobeenextendedtotheLeasedAreasofBaluchistan,seetheLeasedAreas(Laws)Order,1950(G.G.O.3of1950)andappliedintheFederatedAreasofBaluchistan,see
GazetteofIndia,1937,Pt.1,p.1499.
2 Thewords"throughoutBritishIndia"omittedbyA.O.,1949Sch.
3Subs.bytheCentralLaws(StatuteReform)Ordinance,1960(21of1960),s.3and2ndSch.(witheffectfromthe14thOctober,1955),fortheoriginalsubsection(2)asamended
byA.O.,1949,andtheFederalLaws(RevisionandDeclaration)Act,1951(26of1951),s.8.)
4 Thewords"SubjecttothecontroloftheG.G.inC."rep.byA.O.,1937
5 Subs.ibid.,for"L.G.".

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(b)theclassesofpersonstowhomalonesuchlicencesmaybegranted
(c)theclassesofpersonstowhomaloneanysuchpoisonmaybesold
(d)themaximumquantityofanysuchpoisonwhichmaybesoldtoanyoneperson
(e)themaintenancebyvendorsofanysuchpoisonofregistersofsales,theparticularstobe
enteredinsuchregisters,andtheinspectionofthesame
(f)thesafecustodyofsuchpoisonsandthelabellingofthevessels,packagesorcoveringsin
whichanysuchpoisonissoldorpossessedforsaleand
(g)theinspectionandexaminationofanysuchpoisonwhenpossessedforsalebyanysuch
vendor.
3. Power to prohibit importation into Pakistan of any poison except under licence. The
1[FederalGovernment]may,bynotificationinthe 2[officialGazette],prohibit,exceptunderandin

accordance with the conditions of a licence, the importation into 3[Pakistan] 4[across any customs
frontierdefinedbythe5[FederalGovernment]]ofanyspecifiedpoison,andmaybyruleregulatethe
grantoflicences.
4. Power to regulate possession of any poison in certain areas.__(1) The 6[Provincial
Government] 7***maybyruleregulatethepossessionofanyspecifiedpoisoninanylocalareain
whichtheuseofsuchpoisonforthepurposeofcommittingmurderormischiefbypoisoningcattle
appears to it to be of such frequent occurrence as to render restrictions on the possession thereof
desirable.
(2)Inmakinganyruleundersubsection(1),the 6[ProvincialGovernment]maydirectthatany
breachthereofshallbepunishablewithimprisonmentforatermwhichmayextendtooneyear,or
withfinewhichmayextendtoonethousandrupees,orwithboth,togetherwithconfiscationofthe
poisoninrespectofwhichthebreachhasbeencommitted,andofthevessels,packagesorcoverings
inwhichthesameisfound.
5.Presumptionastospecifiedpoisons.Anysubstancespecifiedasapoisoninarulemadeor
notificationissuedunderthisActshallbedeemedtobeapoisonforthepurposesofthisAct.
6.Penaltyforunlawfulimportation,etc.__(1)Whoever__
(a)commitsabreachofanyrulemadeundersection2,or
1 Subs.byF.A.O.,1975,Art.2andTable,for"CentralGovernment",whichwaspreviouslyamendedbyA.O.,1937,for"G.G.inC.".
2 Subs.byA.O.1937for"GazetteofIndia".
3 Subs.bytheCentralLaws(StatuteReform)Ordinance,1960(21of1960),s.3and2ndSch.(witheffectfromthe14thOctober,1955),for"theProvincesandtheCapitalofthe

Federation"whichhadbeensubs.byA.O.,1949Arts.3(2)and4for"BritishIndia".
4 Ins.byA.O.,1937.
5 Subs.byF.A.O.,1975Art.2andTable,for"CentralGovernment".
6 Subs.byA.O.,1937for"L.G.".
7 ThewordssubjecttothecontroloftheG.G.inC."wererep.byA.O.,1937.Thewords"subjecttothecontrol"hadbeensubstitutedforthewordswiththeprevioussanction"bythe
DevolutionAct,1920(38of1920),s.2andSch.I.

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(b)imports 1***withoutalicence 2[into 3[Pakistan]acrossacustomsfrontierdefinedby

the 4[Federal Government]] any poison the importation of which is for the time being
restrictedundersection3,or
(c)breaksanyconditionofalicencefortheimportationofanypoisongrantedtohimunder
section3,shallbepunishable,
(i) on a first conviction, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three
months,orwithfinewhichmayextendtofivehundredrupees,orwithboth,and
(ii) on a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment for a term which may
extendtosixmonths,orwithfinewhichmayextendtoonethousandrupees,orwith
both.
(2)Anypoisoninrespectofwhichanoffencehasbeencommittedunderthissection,together
withthevessels,packagesorcoveringsinwhichthesameisfound,shallbeliabletoconfiscation.
7. Power to issue search warrants.__(1) The District Magistrate, 5[and] the Subdivisional
Magistrate6***,mayissueawarrantforthesearchofanyplaceinwhichhehasreasontobelieve
ortosuspectthatanypoisonispossessedorsoldincontraventionofthisActoranyrulethereunder,
orthatanypoisonliabletoconfiscationunderthisActiskeptorconcealed.
(2) The person to whom the warrant is directed may enter and search the place in accordance
therewith,andtheprovisionsoftheCodeofCriminalProcedure,1898,relatingtosearchofwarrants
shallasfarasmaybe,bedeemedtoapplytotheexecutionofthewarrant(Vof1898).
8. Rule.__(1) In addition to any other power to make rules herebefore conferred 7* * * the
8[ProvincialGovernment]maymakerulesgenerallytocarryoutthepurposesandobjectsofthisAct
2[exceptsection3].
(2)EverypowertomakerulesconferredbythisActshallbesubjecttotheconditionoftherules
beingmadeafterpreviouspublication.
(3)Allrulesmadebythe 9[FederalGovernment]orbythe 10[ProvincialGovernment]underthis
Act shall be published in the 11[official Gazette] and on such publication shall have effect as if
enactedinthisAct.

1 Thewords"intoBritishIndia"rep.by.A.O.,1937.
2 Ins.,ibid.
3 Subs.bytheCentralLaws(StatuteReform)Ordinance,1960(21of1960),s.3and2ndSch.(witheffectfromthe14thOctober,1955),for"theProvincesandtheCapitalofthe

Federation"whichhadbeensubs.byA.O.,1949Arts.3(2)and4for"BritishIndia".
4 Subs.byF.A.O.,1975,Art.2andTable,for"CentralGovernment",
5 Ins.byA.O.,1949,Sch.
6 Thewordsandcommas"and,inaPresidencytown,theCommissionerofPolice"Omittedibid.
7 Thewords"andsubjecttothecontroloftheG.G.inC."wererep.byA.O.,1937.Theword"and"hadbeensubs.,forthewords"theG.G..inC.or"bytheDevolutionAct,1920(38
of1920),s.2andSch.I.
8 SubsbyA.O1937forL.G.
9 Subs.byF.A.O.,1975,Art.2andTablefor"CentralGovernment",whichwaspreviouslyamendedbyA.O.,1937,for"G.G.inC.
10 Subs.ibid.,for"L.G."
11 Subs.bypara.4ofA.O.,1937,for"GazetteofIndiaorthelocalofficialGazette,asthecasemaybe"Strictlythesubstitutionwouldread"officialGazetteortheofficialGazette,as
thecasemaybe"butthelastninewordshavebeenomittedasbeingobviouslyredundant.

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9. Savings.__(1) Nothing in this Act or in any licence granted or rule made there under shall
extendto,orinterferewith,anythingdoneingoodfaithintheexerciseofhisprofessionassuchbya
medicalorveterinarypractitioner.
(2)Notwithstandinganythinghereinbeforecontained,the 1[ProvincialGovernment]may 2***
by general or special order declare that all or any of the provisions of this Act 3[except section 3]
shallbedeemednottoapplytoanyarticleorclassofarticlesofcommercespecifiedinsuchorder,or
toanypoisonorclassofpoisonsusedforanypurposesospecified.
(3)TheauthorityonwhichanypowertomakerulesunderthisActisconferredmay,bygeneral
orspecialorder,eitherwhollyorpartially__
(a)exemptfromtheoperationofanysuchrules,or
(b)excludefromthescopeoftheexemptionprovidedbysubsection(1),
anypersonorclassofpersonseithergenerallyorinrespectofanypoisonsspecifiedintheorder.
10.[RepealofActIof1904Rep.]bytheRepealingAct.1927(XIIof1927).
____________
1 Subs.ibid.,for"CentralGovernment".
2 Thewords"initsdiscretion"rep.byA.O.,1937.
3 Ins.ibid.

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