The Bill proposed by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur in the Rajya Sabha on 1st August 5, 2023 which has also been passed through voice vote on 3rd August 5, 2023. Seeks to replace the colonial law Press and Registaration of books act 1867. According to the Statement of Reason, the 1867 Act was a pre-independence archaic law that is not in sync with the current media landscape. Hence, “it was considered necessary to repeal and reenact the Act to be more contemporaneous.” The major objective being the need for upgrading as per new problems of digital era and provide ease of doing business to publishers.
The changes are bought by empowering the Press Registrar General to cancel due to reasons like similar title as any other periodical, The provisions of the bill have a major focus on news involving public domain and therefore, a bar has been put to registrations by any person involved in terrorist or unlawful activities.Powers of suspending a registration include doing the same for 30 -180 days due to failure to publish periodicals continuously, false particulars in annual statement or registration obtained by false information. Such powers earlier lied with the District Magistrate.
The Bill also focuses on maintaining a balance between regulation essentials and providing relief to publishers by relaxing penal provisions with a maximum imprisonment of six months for publication of a periodical without a registration (fine up to 5,00,000/-)as compared to the colonial law with stringent penalties. To make the process more feasible and fair Press and registration appellate body has been introduced, to deal with suspension, penalties, or refusal of registration by the PRG. Also, one of the major changes introduced in the old act was exclusion of books from the purview of Information and Broadcasting ministry and keeping it with the ministry of Education.
Introduction of new laws controlling press and media as per the dynamic environment was something supposed to be done earlier, Late but not least the change was necessary and amendments should be bought as per introduction of new- new domains of information providing sources.
Article by – Sona Raghuwanshi; Student at – Vivekanada Institute of professional studies ; Submitted as – Law journalism intern at Legal Vidhiya.
