Parliament passes Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill 2023

Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha through a voice vote. The bill was earlier passed in Rajya Sabha.

Replying to debate in Lok Sabha, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said, "This bill will get rid of colonial mindset and criminality. This will promote digital India, ease of doing business, and ease of living. In a democracy, the media has an important role to play."

Anurag Thakur further stated that the Press and Registration of Books Act of 1867, which this bill seeks to replace, was framed by the British who wanted to prolong their rule.

"Earlier, you had to visit the office of the District Magistrate time and time again for title verification. But today, with a button, you can get your title verified," he said.

He accused Congress of not making any efforts to cut red tape during their rule. Anurag Thakur said," They enjoyed when people had to visit offices regularly. They even brought a bill in 2011, which had so many flaws. Nothing was done to cut the bureaucratic delay. From 2004 to 2014, they were also trying to extensively control online portals."

The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, seeks to simplify the online process of title verification and registration of periodicals by the Press Registrar General of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI). The bill has provisions related to the circulation and verification of newspapers. It also has a provision for prior approval of the Central Government for the publication of facsimile editions of foreign periodicals in India. (ANI)