The Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023

(1) This Act may be called the Press and Registration ofPeriodicals Act, 2023. (2) It extends to the whole of India. (3) It shall come into force on such date1as the Central Government may, by notification in the OfficialGazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--- (a) "facsimile edition" of a publication means an exact reproduction of the original edition of aforeign publication in English or an Indian language included in the Eighth Schedule to theConstitution; (b) "journal" means a periodical publication, other than a magazine, which primarily carriesacademic, scientific or technical content related to a particular discipline or profession; (c) "keeper" means a person who manages the day-to-day operations of a printing press, the ownerof which is a non-individual entity; (d) "newspaper" means a periodical of loose-folded sheets usually printed on newsprint and broughtout daily or at least once in a week, containing information on current events, public news or commentson public news; (e) "notification" means a notification published in the Gazette of India or the Official Gazette ofa State, as the case may be, and the expression "notify" with its grammatical variation and cognateexpressions shall be construed accordingly; (f) "owner" means an individual, firm or any such legal entity owning a periodical; (g) "periodical" means any publication, including a newspaper, which is published and printed atregular intervals containing public news or comments on public news, but does not include a book, ora journal including a book or journal of scientific, technical and academic nature; (h) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (i) "Press Registrar General" means the Press Registrar General of India, appointed by the CentralGovernment under sub-section (1) of section 5; (j) "printer" means the owner or keeper of a printing press; (k) "printing" means reproduction of a periodical through any technology involving massproduction of copies, but does not include photocopying; (l) "publication" means newspapers, magazines, journals or newsletters printed periodically andpublished in India, and shall include its reproduction in electronic form or any syndication, facsimileedition, for public distribution or access; (m) "publish" means the process of making a work available to the public by issuing or causing tobe issued the copies thereof or in any other manner, whether for a price or free of charge, and the word"publishing" shall be construed accordingly; (n) "publisher" means a person responsible to publish any periodical; (o) "register" means the register of periodicals maintained under clause (b) of sub-section (3) ofsection 5; (p) "specified authority" means a District Magistrate or Collector or such other officer as the StateGovernment or, as the case may be, Union territory Administration may, by notification, specify; (q) "title", in relation to a periodical, means the name of such periodical as may be verified by thePress Registrar General, printed prominently and legibly as the masthead on the front page of thatperiodical by which it shall be known or be identified.

Every printer of a periodical shall furnish an intimation in theonline portal to the Press Registrar General and the specified authority within whose local jurisdiction hisprinting press is situated with such particulars and in such manner, as may be prescribed.

(1) Every citizen of India or a person, being an entity incorporated andregistered in India under any law for the time being in force, may bring out a periodical: Provided that no person who has been convicted by any court for an offence--- (a) involving terrorist act or unlawful activity; or (b) for having done anything against the security of the State, shall bring out a periodical. Explanation.---For the purposes of this section, the expressions "terrorist act" and "unlawful activity"shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in clauses (k) and (o) of sub-section (1) of section 2of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967). (2) Every periodical printed in India shall have printed on it legibly the name of the printer, place ofprinting, name of editor, publisher and place of publication. Explanation.---For the purposes of this sub-section, "editor" means a person who decides the matterthat is to be published in a periodical. (3) A facsimile edition of a foreign periodical may be printed in India only with the previous approvalof the Central Government in accordance with the guidelines made in this regard, and the registration ofsuch facsimile edition shall be made with the Press Registrar General in such manner as may be prescribed. Explanation.---For the purposes of this sub-section, "foreign periodical" means any periodical printedand published in a country outside India.

(1) The Central Government may, by order, appointa Press Registrar General of India for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (2) The Central Government may, by general or special order, appoint such other officers under thegeneral superintendence and control of the Press Registrar General, as may be necessary, for the purposeof performing the functions assigned to the Press Registrar General by or under this Act and may, by suchorder provide for the distribution or allocation of functions to be performed by them under this Act. (3) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the Press RegistrarGeneral shall perform the following functions, namely:--- (a) issue a certificate of registration to a periodical; (b) maintain a register of registered periodicals; (c) make guidelines for admissibility and availability of title of a periodical; (d) collect fees, as may be applicable, with regard to applications received by him under this Act; (e) receive funds from the Central Government and disburse the same for implementation of theprovisions of this Act; (f) prepare and publish an annual report containing information in respect of the periodicals inIndia; (g) any function incidental to, or connected with, clauses (a) to (f); and (h) any other function as may be assigned to it by the Central Government for the effectiveimplementation of the provisions of this Act.