A draft bill to regulate news websites, newspapers and printing press is likely to be approved by the Union Cabinet soon.
The Registration of Press and Magazines (RPP) Bill was drafted in 2019 to replace the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867, which regulates printing presses and newspapers only. The new draft bill also seeks to regulate digital news.
In 2019, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) invited comments on the draft bill from stakeholders and it was placed before the Union Cabinet. After minor amendments, the draft bill is now once again with the Union Cabinet for approval, after which it will be brought before the Parliament.
The first draft of the bill was made in 2017 but no progress was made for two years.
The draft bill seeks to simplify the registration process of a newspaper. It also proposes to do away with the earlier provision under the PRB Act, 1867 to prosecute publishers.
It proposes that a Press Registrar General should be appointed by the Central Government. Digital news websites have to register with this authority.
The government came out with a new set of digital media rules last year. All digital news websites and online curated content providers were to send their details to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for record.
According to the Bill, the Press Registrar General will be the central authority responsible for the process of registration of titles for newspapers and magazines.
The draft bill states that the Press Registrar General can suspend or cancel the certificate of registration if the magazine is being published against the provisions of the Act or rules or if its registration was secured on false representation or if was mentioned in the certificate. Has a title, similar to any other periodical.
If the publication of a magazine has been closed for more than 12 months and if the publisher has given false information in his application for registration or in the annual statement or if he has not submitted the annual statement, the Press Registrar General shall also issue his certificate of registration. can cancel. within 12 months from the end of a financial year, or has been convicted by a court of law for any terrorist act or offense involving unlawful activities.
Action can be taken on the basis of inputs received from the government or recommendations of the Press Council of India.
The draft bill states that whoever owns, prints, publishes or edits any magazine without complying with its provisions, shall be punished with a fine of up to Rs 50,000. Its registration can also be cancelled.
The bill also states that if any printing press is started without giving information or giving wrong information, then fine and penal action will be taken.
It has also sought to do away with the existing provision of registration of books and to provide a separate system for registration of e-papers.
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