The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Friday released the draft Press and Registration of Periodicals Rules, 2024, for a 30-day consultation period until February 4. The draft rules authorize the Press Registrar General (PRG), an official responsible for maintaining a register of newspapers, to conduct or authorize central government officers for inspections.

The Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023 was notified on December 29, 2023, after receiving approval from both Houses of Parliament and subsequent assent from the President. The PRP Act repealed the colonial-era Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. The 1867 Act required elaborate and manual steps at various offices, leading to delays and obstacles in the registration process. It also had strict provisions for minor violations, allowing the colonial British Government to curb freedom of press.

The draft rules have been released to implement the provisions of the PRP Act, 2023. The draft rules allow the PRG to “undertake verification of the circulation by ways of physical inspection of the documents and other information and records at the business premise of the publisher” under “exceptional circumstances”, due to irregular furnishment of the Annual Statement, or references or received complaints.

Audits can be undertaken in a faceless manner over periodicals getting or intending to get government advertisements and having a daily average circulation of over 25,000 in the preceding two financial years to verify their circulation figures if it receives information, reference, or complaint against the periodical. The discretion to order such verification lies on the PRG and he can further delegate the authority to the designated government official.

The draft rules lays down the procedures for digitally registering periodicals through the proposed Press Sewa Portal to ensure smooth communication between PRG and the owners, publishers, and printing presses of periodicals. An Indian needs to apply for the certificate of registration to the PRG via the portal along with a fee within 15 days of receiving the Ministry’s approval. In case the applicant begins publishing before registration, PRG can refuse certification and inform the Ministry of the same.

The PRP Act aims to remove the intricate procedure and streamline the process of title and registration of periodicals, which encompasses any magazine that provides commentary or public news, by the Press Registrar General through online application. It provides for a system to register e-papers, bringing digital news media under its purview, and for an appellate board to resolve disputes regarding registration.

The Editors Guild of India released a statement expressing its concerns over “the draconian provisions” of the PRP Act, saying:

The Guild is concerned about the expansion of powers of the Press Registrar, the new restrictions on citizens to bring out periodicals, the continuation of power to enter premises of news publications, the vagueness inherent in many of the provisions, and the ambiguity surrounding power to frame rules that can have adverse implications on press freedom.