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The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill 2023
Context
Recently, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister has introduced the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha.
Highlights of the Bill:
- It replaced the existing Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867, which governs the registration of print and publishing industry in the country.
- The Bill that seeks to simplify the registration process for periodicals and do away with the provision for prosecution and imprisonment of publishers.
- Aim:
- To bring transparency and ease of doing business.
- It will provide for a simple process that will help small and medium publishers.
- Need of the Bill: 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.
- Key points of the Bill:
- The bill 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.
- The Bill also seeks to do away with provisions that required publishers and printers to file a declaration before the DM.
- It led 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.
- Punishment of jail up is fixed 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.
- 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.
- For State Governments: Every state government is required to maintain a Catalogue of Books containing specified information regarding books printed in India.
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