Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill introduced in RS

“The aim of the new Bill is to bring transparency and ease of doing business. It will provide for a simple process that will help small and medium publishers,” said an official.

In the 1867 Act, only the district magistrate (DM) could cancel the declaration of a periodical, while the Press Registrar General (PRG) did not have suo motu powers to cancel or suspend the Certificate of Registration granted by it. But PRP Bill, 2023 empowers the PRG to suspend/cancel registration.

A person who has been convicted by any court for an offence involving terrorist act or unlawful activity, or having done anything against the security of the state shall not be permitted to bring out a periodical, as per the new Bill.
The Bill also seeks to do away with two provisions that required publishers and printers to file a declaration before the DM. It waters down the penal provisions of the PRB Act, which made improper declaration of information a punishable offence with a prison term of up to six months.

In the 2023 Bill, punishment of jail up to six months is envisaged only in cases where a periodical is published without a certificate of registration and the publisher fails to cease the printing of such publication even after six months of a direction issued to that effect by PRG.

The new Bill also provides for an appellate authority. The Appellate Board (Press and Registration Appellate Board) will comprise chairperson, Press Council of India (PCI), and two members of PCI to hear an appeal against refusal of grant of registration, imposition of any penalty or suspension/cancellation of registration by PRG.

Books, which were part of the PRB Act, 1867, have been taken out of the purview of PRP Bill 2023, as books as a subject are administered by the Ministry of Education, officials said. Also, printing presses won’t have to file any declaration before the DM anymore; only an online intimation has to be filed before PRG and DM.

The statute has been substantially decriminalised as against the PRB Act 1867, which had severe penalties leading to conviction and imprisonment up to six months for various violations of the Act, the officials said.