Act Number: 25

Act Name: The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867

Year: 1867

Enactment Date: 1867-03-22

Long Title: An Act for the regulation of Printing-presses and newspapers, for the printed in India, and for the registration of such books and newspapers.

Ministry: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Department:

Section 1: Interpretation-clause.
    1[(1)] In this Act, unless there shall be something repugnant in the subject or context,--
         "Book" includes every volume, part or division of a volume, and pamphlet, in any language, and every sheet of music, map, chart or plan separately printed 2***.
         3*                             *                             *                             *                             *
         4["editor" means the person who controls the selection of the matter that is published in a newspaper;]
         5*                             *                             *                             *                             *
         "Magistrate" means any person exercising the full powers of a 6Magistrate, and includes a 7Magistrate of police 8***.
         9["newspaper" means any printed periodical work containing public news or comments on public news;]
         10*                             *                             *                             *                             *
         11["paper" means any document, including a newspaper, other than a book;
     "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made by the Central Government under section 20A;
         "Press Registrar" means the Registrar of newspapers for India appointed by the Central Government under section 19A and includes any other person appointed by the Central Government to perform all or any of the functions of the Press Registrar;
         printing includes cyclostyling and printing by lithography;
         Register means the Register of newspapers maintained under section 198.]
         12[(2) Any reference in this Act to any law which is not in force in the State of Jammu and Kashmir shall, in relation to that State, be construed as a reference to the corresponding law in force in that State.]
                                STATE AMENDMENT
    Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (UTs).--
     Section 1.--Omit sub-section (2).
    [Vide the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Adaptation of Central Laws) Order, 2020, notification No. S.O. 1123(E) dated (18-3-2020) and vide Union Territory of Ladakh Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Order, 2020, notification No. S.O. 3774(E), dated (23-10-2020).]
                                STATE AMENDMENT
KARNATAKA
        In section 1, for the words, "Magistrate of means any person exercising full powers of a magistrate and includes as magistrate of Police" the words, "Magistrate" means Judicial Magistrate shall be substituted.
    [Vide Karnataka Act 13 of 1956, s. 67 and Schedule]
Notes:
1. Section 1 re-numbered as sub-section (1) thereof by Act 16 of 1965, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-11-1965).
2. The words "or lithographed" omitted by Act 55 of 1955, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-7-1956).
3. Definition of "British India" rep. by the A.O. 1937, see now the definition in s. 3(5) of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897).
4. Ins. by Act 14 of 1922, s. 3 and the First Schedule.
5. Definition of "India" omitted by Act 16 of 1965, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-11-1965).
6. Now Magistrate of the first class, see the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
7. Now Presidency Magistrate, see ibid.
8. The words "and a Justice of the Peace" rep. by Act 10 of 1890, s. 2.
9. Ins. by Act 14 of 1922, s. 3 and the First Schedule.
10. Paragraphs relating to the definitions of "Number" and "Gender" rep. by Act 10 of 1914, s. 3 and Sch. II; definition of "Local Government" rep. by the A.O. 1937 and the definition of "States" ins. by the A.O. 1950 was rep. by Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and Sch.
11. Ins. by Act 55 of 1955, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-7-1956).
12. Ins. by Act 16 of 1965, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-11-1965).
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