Tolls Act, 1851

This is a very old law, dating from 1851, that governs tolls charged on roads and bridges built or repaired at government expense. It currently applies to the Province of the Punjab, with the Federal Government able to extend it to other provinces by notification (Section 1A). Section 2 lets the Federal Government set toll rates for such roads and bridges and place their collection under appointed persons, who bear the same responsibilities as land revenue collectors.

Section 3 gives toll collectors power to seize a person's carriage, animals, or goods if a toll goes unpaid, and if the toll remains unpaid for twenty-four hours, the seized property may be sold at auction after notice, with any surplus returned to the owner; however, the owner can get their property back before the sale begins by paying the outstanding toll, double that amount, and the costs incurred. Section 4 exempts police officers on duty, and persons or property in their custody, from paying tolls, but allows no other exemption. Section 5 requires police officers to assist toll collectors when asked.

Section 6 makes it an offence for anyone other than an authorised collector to demand or collect a toll, or for anyone to demand more than the lawful toll or unlawfully seize or sell property under the Act's cover: the penalty on conviction before a Magistrate is imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to two hundred rupees (part of which may be awarded to the aggrieved person), without losing the right to also sue in civil court. Section 7 requires toll rates and penalties to be publicly displayed at each toll gate in English and the local language. Section 8 treats toll revenue as public revenue, and Section 9 (added later) allows the toll collector to compound tolls, letting a person pay a fixed periodic sum instead of paying per use, for up to one year. Given its age and many amendment footnotes, current rates and figures should be checked against the official text.