The Government of India is all set to bring in legislation to regulate the Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill, 2019, which will include the Digital News Media industry for the first time.
Through this, the Cabinet proposes to bring digital news portals at par with newspapers.
Lok Sabha Secretariat, on Friday, released a list of Bills deemed to be introduced and passed in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Among them, the most crucial is The Press Registration Periodicals Bill, 2022.
The Bill seeks to replace the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867 which covers the ambit of newspapers and printing presses in India.
According to government sources, the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to approve this Bill soon.
The idea, when first mooted, drew a lot of criticism with assumptions that this Bill would try to curtail the Freedom of Speech and Expression on digital media. Detail consultations have already been held with various stakeholders regarding the Bill.
As of now, there is no such process to register digital news portals like newspapers but this Bill proposes to register them with the Press Registrar General, the equivalent of the prevalent Registrar of Newspapers in India.
Digital news publishers have to apply for registration within 90 days of the law coming into effect, which is being proposed.
This is the first time that digital media in India will have regulations. If the Bill is cleared, digital media will be regulated by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app