On Thursday, the Centre passed a historic Bill in support of press freedom and simultaneously expressed concern over continuous attacks on journalists in West Bengal. The Centre urged the State to ensure the safety of mediapersons.
In a landmark decision, the Lok Sabha passed the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, repealing the colonial-era law of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. The Bill simplifies the process of title allotment and registration of periodicals through an online system without the need for any physical interface. This Bill had already been passed by the Rajya Sabha in the Monsoon Session.
During the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur stated that law and order is a State subject, and the State Government should provide an environment for mediapersons to work independently.
Thakur was responding to a question raised by TMC member Dola Sen, who was not present in the House, having been suspended along with a few other MPs for the remainder of the winter session.
Responding to a supplementary query on steps being taken by the government to ensure the safety of journalists, the minister mentioned that the main question was asked by an MP from West Bengal who is not in the House.
Thakur expressed hesitation to point out a particular State but noted that several incidents had occurred one after the other in West Bengal, including reports of deadly attacks on journalists. He emphasised the serious concern for the safety of journalists, citing specific incidents in various districts.
“The media is the fourth pillar of democracy,” the minister asserted, urging West Bengal and other States to take steps to ensure the safety of journalists within their borders.
Regarding The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, passed in the Lok Sabha, it enables the Press Registrar General to fast-track the process, ensuring that publishers, especially small and medium publishers, face little difficulty in starting a publication. Introducing the Bill in the Lok Sabha, Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur said, “the Bill reflects yet another step of the Modi Government towards jettisoning the mentality of slavery and bringing new laws for new India.”
Notably, publishers will no longer be required to file a declaration with the District Magistrates or local authorities and get such declarations authenticated. Printing presses will also not be required to furnish any such declaration; instead, only an intimation would be sufficient. The entire process, which presently involved eight steps and consumed considerable time, has been streamlined.
The minister further added that the government’s priority is to end criminality, improve ease of doing business and ease of living through new laws. Efforts have been made to substantially decriminalise the colonial-era statute, proposing financial penalties instead of conviction for certain violations. Additionally, a credible appellate mechanism, headed by the Chairperson, Press Council of India, has been provided for.
Stressing the ease of doing business aspect, Thakur mentioned that the title registration process, which sometimes took 2-3 years, would now be completed in 60 days.
The Act of 1867 was a legacy of the British Raj, intended to exercise complete control over the press, printers, and publishers of newspapers and books, along with heavy fines and penalties, including imprisonment for various violations.
It was felt that in today’s age of a free press and the government’s commitment to uphold media freedom, the archaic law was totally out of sync with the current media landscape.
