The information & broadcasting ministry has put in the public domain the draft Registration of Press & Periodicals Bill 2019, which seeks to replace the archaic Press & Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867 that governs registration of print & publishing industry in India.
The biggest change in the draft regulation, for which the ministry has sought comments from stakeholders over the next one month, is that digital media has been brought within the purview of the new registration regulation.
The draft legislation also proposes to do away with the prosecution provisions of imprisonment of publishers & to simplify the implementation of the registration process through a Press Registrar General, which it proposes to institute. In addition, it has recommended that publishers & printers no longer need to furnish declarations before the local administration where the publications are registered.
The draft bill says publishers of news on digital media shall register themselves with the Registrar of Newspapers of India & has also proposed a system of registering e-papers.
"The Bill also enables the Central & the State govts to frame appropriate rules/ regulations to regulate the criteria/ conditions for issuing govt advertisements in newspapers, accreditation of newspapers & other facilities for newspapers," the draft bill says.
It also seeks to centralise the process of registering periodicals by the proposed Press Registrar General. "The process of title & registration of periodicals including newspapers is proposed to be effected centrally by the Press Registrar General as a simultaneous process....The Bill proposes to do away with the earlier provision under the Press & Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867 of prosecution of publishers," the draft said.
At present, offences under the Press & Registration of Books (PRB) Act are punishable with an imprisonment term of up to 6 months as part of the penalties clause for improper disclosure of information.
Proposed amendments to the Press & Registration of Books (PRB) Act include a proposal to remove existing provisions relating to registration of books. The draft bill says that if a publisher is convicted by any court for an offence involving terrorist act or unlawful activity, it may result in cancellation of registration.
The draft bill also grants sweeping powers to the central govt. It says, "The Press Registrar General shall be bound by such directions on question of policy as the Central govt may give in writing from time to time." Also, the central govt will have the final discretion to decide whether a question is one of policy or not.
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