Now Foreign Newspapers Can Have Indian Editions

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha today passed the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, on Thursday repealing the the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.

The Bill was earlier passed by the Rajya Sabha in the monsoon session. It will now go for the Presidential accent to become a law.

The new Bill permits printing of facsimile editions of foreign periodicals to be printed in India with prior approval of the Central government and its registration with the Press Registrar General. Books which were part of the British-era PRB Act, 1867, have been taken away from the purview of the new Bill.

Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha.

The Act of 1867 was alleged to be a legacy of the British government with an intention to exercise complete control over the press and the printers and publishers of newspapers and books along with heavy fines and penalties including imprisonment for various violations.

The new Bill decriminalises parts of the PRB Act, 1867, which had severe penalties leading to conviction and imprisonment up to six months for various violations.