I&B Ministry asks for inputs on draft Press and Registration of Periodicals Rules, 2024

NEW DELHI: In a move towards simplifying the registration of newspapers and periodicals, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has opened the floor for public comments and suggestions on the Draft Press and Registration of Periodicals Rules, 2024, on Friday.

These rules aim to implement the provisions of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, which came into effect on December 29, 2023, after receiving approval from both Houses of Parliament and the subsequent assent of the President.

The proposed rules introduce significant changes, including empowering the Press Registrar General (PRG) to conduct or authorise central government officers for inspections. Notably, periodicals with a daily average circulation exceeding 25,000 in the preceding two financial years and seeking government advertisements may undergo faceless desk audits to verify their circulation figures.

The legislation also envisions the creation of an appellate board to address registration-related issues and seeks to decriminalise most offences. However, one provision allowing the PRG to conduct desk audits and physical inspections through central government officers has sparked criticism from the Editors Guild of India (EGI) and Opposition Members of Parliament.

The EGI has expressed concerns, advocating for the sole authority of the Press Registrar in the new law, without granting powers to other government agencies in the registration process. The draft rules outline procedures for the digital registration of periodicals and propose the development of a Press Sewa Portal (PSP) for communication between the PRG, owners, publishers, and printing presses.

This advanced portal will facilitate the submission of annual statements and communication with the information and broadcasting ministry. To initiate a periodical, printers must notify the PRG and the specified jurisdictional authority within 15 days of commencing operations, accompanied by a Rs. 1,000/- fee on the Bharat Kosh portal. The PRG will consider the authority’s comments during application processing, and if rejected, a “speaking order” with reasons will be published on the PSP.

Additionally, the rules specify procedures for publishing facsimile editions of foreign periodicals, requiring approval through the National Single Window System (NSWS) and a subsequent application for certification of registration with the PRG.

Registered publishers must upload electronic versions of their newspapers to the PSP within 48 hours of publication, and physical copies must be delivered to relevant authorities to ensure continuous publication. The Act empowers the PRG to suspend the registration certificate if a periodical publishes less than half of the registered issues.

The Ministry invites comments and suggestions on these draft rules until February 4, this year, fostering transparency and addressing concerns raised by stakeholders in the media industry.