RAWALPINDI, Oct 14: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) on Tuesday suspended a union council secretary and booked the owners of two marriage halls for violating the Shadi Act, official sources told Dawn.

Secretary union councils 19 and 35, Dhama Syedan, was suspended for failing to inform the TMA officials about violation of the Shadi Act by the two marriage halls - City Marriage Hall and Jehangir Marriage Hall.

Tehsil Nazim Hamid Nawaz Raja has taken a serious notice of the violation of Shadi Act and directed the Tehsil Marriage Committee members to take a strict action against the violators.

The Nazim has started paying surprise visits to hotels, restaurants and marriage halls in the Tehsil to apprise himself of compliance of the Shadi Act.

The Tehsil Nazim has directed the secretaries of all the union councils to ensure enforcement of the Shadi Act in letter and spirit and inform Tehsil Municipal Officer Kh Javed Latif, Chief Officer Aftab Chohan or the committee members about any violation.

Hamid Nawaz said only 300 people could be served one dish in the marriage ceremonies. The law will be strictly implemented, he vowed. However, according to the eye-witnesses, influential people are violating the Act under the patronage of the local administration and police.