The Government of India is preparing a bill to revive the Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill, 2019, that will include Digital News Media industry for the first time. The registration regime for newspapers is set to replace the Registration of Books Act, 1867 that covers the ambit of newspapers and printing presses in India.
The Digital Media industry had been exempted from Governmental regulations for so long, which the Narendra Modi-led government wishes to change through the bill that they will reportedly propose at the oncoming Monsoon Session of the Parliament.
This Act was passed by the British Empire after the First war of Independence in 1857. This 152-year-old Act was brought in to curb freedom of expression, through the press, during the revolt.
According to several media reports, the Information and Broadcasting ministry, which will be the "administrative ministry", has started the process to amend the Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill to include "news on digital media through any electronic device".
If the bill is passed, digital news websites operating in India will come on par with newspapers, and they will have to register themselves with the Press Registrar General, equivalent to the prevalent Registrar of Newspapers in India.
The Bill has yet to be approved by the Prime Minister's Office and other stakeholders.
Digital news publishers have to apply for registration and will be required to do so within 90 days of the law coming into effect.
The Centre in 2019 had put out a draft of the bill that defined 'news on digital media' as "news in digitised format that can be transmitted over the internet, computer or mobile networks and includes text, audio, video and graphics".
Digital publishers will need to register with the Press Registrar General, who will have powers to act against various publications for violations and who can suspend or cancel registrations and impose penalties.
An appellate board is planned with the Chairperson of the Press Council of India as its chief, according to officials.
When the bill was proposed, it stirred controversy as many argued that it was the Centre's attempt to 'control' digital news media. The central government at that time had not moved further with the draft bill.
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