Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Issuing of advertisement or prospectus. - [(1) No promoter shall develop any land into a colony or offer plots for sale or transfer or construct apartments or issue any advertisement or prospects for such sale inviting persons to make advances or deposits for booking, unless, - (a) he obtains licence under sub-section (3) of section 5, which is in force and has not been suspended or revoked and its number is mentioned in the advertisement or prospects ;] (b) a copy of the advertisement or prospectus is filed in the office of the competent authority before its issue or publication. (2) The advertisement or prospectus issued under sub-section (1) shall disclose the area of the apartments or plots offered for sale, title to the land, extent and situation of land, the price payable and in the case of colonies, also layout of the colony, the plan regarding the development works to be executed in a colony and the number and the validity of the licence issued by the competent authority under sub-section (3) of section 5, and such other matters as may be prescribed. (3) The advertisement or prospectus shall be available for inspection at the office of the promoter and at the site where the building is being constructed or on the land being developed into a colony, alongwith the documents specified in this section and in section 3. (4) When any person makes an advance or deposits on the faith of the advertisement or prospectus, and sustains any loss or damage by reason of any untrue statement included therein, he shall be compensated by,- (a) the promoter, if an individual; (b) every partner of the firm, if the promoter is a firm; (c) every person who is a director at the time of issue of the advertisement or prospectus, if the promoter is a company; Provided, however, that such person shall not be liable if he proves that,- 1 Substituted for the words “upto one year or with fine which may extent upto five thousand rupees” vide Punjab Act No. 21 of 2014 w.e.f. 27.08.2014. 2 Section 5 substituted vide Punjab Act No. 21 of 2014 w.e.f. 27.08.2014. (a) he withdrew his consent to become a director before the issue of the advertisement or prospectus; or (b) the advertisement or prospectus was issued without his knowledge or consent, and on becoming aware of its issue, he forthwith gave reasonable public notice that it was issued without his knowledge or consent; or (c) after the issue of the advertisement or prospectus and before any agreement was entered into with buyers of plots or apartments, he, on becoming aware of any untrue statement therein, withdrew his consent and gave reasonable public notice of the withdrawal and of the reasons therefor. (5) When any advertisement or prospectus includes any untrue statement, every person who authorised its issue, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend [upto three years or with fine which may extend upto five lac rupees], or, with both, unless he proves that the statement was immaterial or that he had reason to believe and did upto the time of issue of the advertisement or prospectus believe that the statement was true. [5. Development of land into colony. - (1) Any promoter, who desires to develop a land into a colony having the prescribed qualifications, shall make an application in the prescribed form alongwith his title of minimum twenty five per cent of project land and irrevocable consent for the rest of land, if it is owned by other persons, permission for conversion of land use from the competent authority and the prescribed information, with the prescribed fee and charges, to the competent authority for grant of permission for the same and separate permission shall be necessary for each colony. (2) On receipt of the application under sub-section (1), the competent authority, after making enquiry into the title of the land, extent and situation of the land, capacity of the promoter to develop the colony, layout of the colony, conformity of the development of the colony with the neighboring areas, plan of development works to be executed in the colony, and in case of apartment buildings, design, specification of material to be used, common areas and facilities to be provided, structural safety and fire safety and such other matters as it may specify, and after affording the applicant an opportunity of being heard and also taking into consideration the opinion of the prescribed authority, shall pass an order, in writing recording reasons either granting or refusing to grant such permission. (3) Where an order is passed granting permission under sub-section (2), the competent authority shall grant a license in the prescribed form after the promoter has complied with the following conditions, namely: - (i) the promoter shall acquire the title of land not owned by him, within the time period given in the terms and conditions of the licence, and shall not make any sale or transfer of land which is not under his title; (ii) furnish a bank guarantee equal to thirty five percent of the estimated cost of the development works certified by the competent authority, or mortgage plots falling in the same project equal to thirty five percent value of estimated cost of development by equitable mortgage deed to the satisfaction of the competent authority in the manner prescribed, which shall be marked on the layout plan and entered in the revenue record; (iii) has entered into an agreement with the competent authority in the prescribed form for carrying out the development works in accordance with the conditions of the licence; (iv) has paid, subject to the provisions of sub-section (6), the Change of Land Use Charges, External Development Charges and such other charges, as may be notified by the Government from time to time. (4) In case, a promoter intends to revise the layout plan or zoning plan of the approved colony or building plan, he shall be required to obtain a revised permission, subject to fulfilment of all liabilities created due to prior permission, on payment of such charges and such fee and on such terms and conditions, as may be specified after giving due notice to the plot or apartment holders. However, the said revision shall not extend the period of validity of the license granted under sub-section (3). (5) The license granted under sub-section (3), shall be valid for a period of five years and shall be renewable for a further period of two years on payment of such fee and charges, and on such terms and conditions, as may be specified by the competent authority. (6) The promoter shall enter into agreement give undertaking to pay development charges for external development works carried out or to be carried out by the Government or a local authority. (7) The State Government shall determine the development charges and the time within which such development charges as referred to in subsection (6), shall be paid to the State Government or to such authority, as may be notified by the State Government. (8) The Government may allow payment of external development charges and other charges mentioned in such installments, as may be notified by it from time to time. In such case, the first installment shall be deposited before the grant of licence and the promoter shall furnish and give undertaking to pay the balance installments as per notified schedule supported by such additional bank guarantee or mortgage of such additional property, as may be necessary to secure payment of the balance installments. (9) The promoter shall carry out and complete the development of the land in accordance with the provisions of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995 (Punjab Act 11 of 1995). (10) The promoter shall construct or get constructed at his own cost, schools, hospitals, parks, community centers and other community buildings, on the land set apart for this purpose or promoter may sell or transfer land meant for schools and hospital etc. on such terms and conditions, as may be specified by the Government. Further, the area under roads, open spaces, parks and other public utilities shall be transferred to the local authority before issue of completion certificate. (11) The promoter shall, reserve five percent area of the gross project area in the case of colony and ten percent of the apartments in the case of apartments in the manner, as may be specified by the Government for reservation and disposal of such plots/apartments for economically weaker section of the society. (12) The promoter shall carry out all directions issued by the competent authority for ensuring due compliance of the execution of the layout and the development works therein and to permit the competent authority or any officer authorized by it to inspect such execution. (13) The promoter shall be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all roads, open spaces, public parks and public health services for a period of five years from the date of issue of completion certificate or till the date of transfer the same, free of cost to the State Government or the local authority: Provided that after the completion of development works in the colony, in all respects, the competent authority, may allow the promoter to hand over the maintenance of the infrastructure and services mentioned in this sub-section to an association of residents formed under section 17-A, which shall be responsible for management, maintenance, upkeep of common areas, infrastructure and common services of the colony. (14) In the event of the promoter contravening any provisions of this Act, or rules made thereunder or any conditions of the licence granted under sub-section (3), the competent authority may, after giving an opportunity of being heard, suspend or cancel the licence and enforce the bank guarantee or mortgage property furnished by the promoter under subsection (3). (15) When a licence is suspended or cancelled under sub-section (14), the competent authority may itself carry out or cause to be carried out the development works, and after adjusting the amount received as a result of enforcement of bank guarantee or by disposal of mortgaged property, recover such charges, as the competent authority may have to incur on the said development works from the promoter and the allottees in the manner prescribed as arrears of land revenue. (16) The liability of the promoter for payment of development charges referred to in sub-section (15), shall not exceed the amount the promoter has actually recovered from the allottees less the amount actually spent on such development works, and that of the allottees shall not exceed the amount, which they would have to pay to the promoter towards the expenses of the said development works under the terms and conditions of the agreement of the sale or transfer entered into between them: Provided that the competent authority may, recover from the allottees with their consent, an amount in excess or what may be admissible under the aforesaid terms of agreement of sale or transfer. (17) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, after development works have been carried out under sub-section (15), the competent authority may, with a view to enabling the promoter, to transfer the possession of, and the title of, the land to the allottees within a specified time, authorize the promoter by an order to receive the balance amount, if any, due from the allottees after adjustment of the amount which may have been recovered by the competent authority towards the cost of the development works and also transfer the possession of, and the title of, the land to the allottees within aforesaid time and if the promoter fails to do so, the competent authority shall on behalf of the promoter transfer the possession of, and title of, the land to the allottees on receipt of the amount which was due from them. (18) After meeting the expenses on development works under subsection (15), the balance amount shall be payable to the promoter.]