The Government of India is attempting to amend the Press and Registration of Books Act 1867. The Act according to its preamble was made to 'preserve the published work in India' but now the amendments seek to make the law a system by which a publication can be started only with the express permission of the Government and the publisher will have to go through the scrutiny by District Magistrates and Registrar of Newspapers. There are penal provisions in the amendments.
The government is refusing to circulate the Bill although the Bill has been approved by the Cabinet.
The law is a draconian one and the attempt is to curb the number of newspapers being published.
It is surprising that the 1867 Act was not only liberal, in 80 years British rulers did not think of amending it while the elected government is changing in a way that the original intention is buried deep.
