GUWAHATI: The ministry of information and broadcasting seeks to replace the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867, that governs the print and publishing industry in the country with Registration of Press and Periodicals Bill, 2019.
As per the draft legislation, the publishers of news on digital media will have to register themselves with the Registrar of Newspapers for India.
It is to be mentioned that Registrar of Newspapers is a statutory body of the information and broadcasting ministry of the government of India, for the registration of publications such as newspapers and magazines, which regulates and monitors their printing and publication based on the PRB Act and the Registration of Newspapers (Central) Rules, 1956.
The draft bill, if accepted, will bring digital news under the mechanism of regulation as currently no news website in India has to register with the goverment.