Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act, 2025
On the 2nd day of January, 2026, the Government of Punjab promulgated the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act with the aim of safeguarding human life, protecting public and private property, and regulating matters connected therewith. The Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act repeals both the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Ordinance, 2001, and the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for the regulation of kite flying across the province.
Under the provisions of the Act, no person shall engage in or assist in kite flying, nor shall any person manufacture, transport, store, sell, or offer for sale kites or hazardous kite-flying materials without explicit permission granted under the Act. The Deputy Commissioner, with prior approval of the Government, may, through official notification, permit the manufacturing, storage, sale, and use of permissible kite-flying materials, and regulate kite flying in specified areas, for defined periods, and subject to conditions deemed appropriate.
The Act stipulates stringent penalties for contravention. Any person found manufacturing, trading, storing, or selling kites or kite-flying materials without authorization shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not less than five years and not exceeding seven years, or a fine of five million rupees, or both. In the event of default in payment of fine, the offender shall further undergo imprisonment for a term of two years. All offenses under the Act are declared to be cognizable, non-bailable, and triable under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
No manufacturer, trader, or seller of permissible kite-flying materials shall operate unless registered with the concerned Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner retains the authority to cancel such registration, either on his own motion or upon application by any person, provided that reasons are recorded in writing and the registered party is afforded an opportunity of being heard. Any person aggrieved by an order under Section 5 may appeal to the Deputy Commissioner within thirty days of issuance.
Further, the Act provides for safety in areas where kite flying is permitted. No motorcycle shall be driven in such districts without adherence to prescribed safety measures, and violations shall attract a fine of two thousand rupees under the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965.
Finally, the Act introduces an incentive mechanism to encourage reporting of violations. The Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner, may sanction a reward not exceeding five thousand rupees to any whistleblower who provides credible information regarding the commission of offenses under this Act.
Through these measures, the Punjab Government has sought to balance the cultural tradition of kite flying with the imperatives of public safety and law enforcement, establishing a regulatory regime that is both structured and enforceability.
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