A+ A-
img img

office of Registrar of Newspapers for India

Government of India
DECLARATION

After receiving the Title Verification Letter from the Press Registrar, the printer/publisher has to make a declaration before the Magistrate. The Declaration is to be made in Form I as given in the Schedule to the Registration of Newspapers (Central) Rules, 1956. Copies of the form will be available with the Magistrate.

If the printer and the publisher are different or the place of publication and printing come under the jurisdiction of two different magistrates, separate declarations should be made before the Magistrate(s).

The Magistrate will either authenticate the declaration or issue an order refusing to authenticate it, as the case may be.

A copy each of the authenticated declaration will be sent by the Magistrate with his/her attestation to the person(s) who made the declaration and to the Press Registrar.


MAKE A FRESH DECLARATION :

A declaration in respect of a newspaper will cease to have effect and a new declaration will be required whenever there is a change in one or more of the following:

  1. Title
  2. Language
  3. Periodicity
  4. Ownership
  5. Place of publication
  6. Place of printing
  7. Publisher
  8. Printer
  9. As and when the printer or the publisher leaves India for a period exceeding ninety days
  10. When the printer or publisher is rendered incapable of carrying out his/her duties for a period exceeding ninety days, even though his/her appointment as printer/publisher does not change.
  11. If the newspaper does not commence publication within the time limits mentioned in section 5(5) of the PRB act.
  12. In the case of newspapers published once or more in a fortnight (e.g., daily, tri-weekly, bi-weekly, weekly or fortnightly), if the number of issues published is less than half of what should have been published, during a period of three months;
  13. In the case of any other newspaper if it is not published for a period exceeding twelve months.

NOTE:
Title Verification is to be done afresh before authentication of the new declaration if it is necessitated due to changes in (A) to (F) above. However fresh verification will not be necessary if the place of publication or printing is not shifted outside the state.

FRESH DECLARATION MAY NOT BE NEEDED:

In the case of a change in the place of publication or place of printing a fresh declaration, will not be necessary if �

  1. the change is for a period not exceeding thirty days;
  2. the new place of printing/publishing is within the local jurisdiction of the Magistrate before whom the original declaration was made;
  3. the printer and publisher continues to be the same; and
  4. a statement relating to the change is furnished to the Magistrate within twenty-four hours of the change.
THE DECLARATION COULD BE CANCELLED:

As per the PRB Act, on the basis of an application made by the Press Registrar or any other person or even otherwise, the Magistrate empowered to authenticate a declaration can cancel the same, after giving the person concerned due opportunity of representing against the cancellation, if the Magistrate is satisfied that �

  1. the newspaper is being published in contravention of the PRB Act or the Rules made under the Act; or
  2. the printer or publisher who made the declaration has ceased to be so; or
  3. the declaration was made in respect of a periodical work which is not a newspaper.
  4. The newspaper mentioned in the declaration bears a title which is the same as or similar to that of any other newspaper being published either in the same language or in the same state.

APPEAL :
Any person aggrieved by an order of a Magistrate refusing to authenticate or cancelling a declaration can, within 60 days of the date of such order, submit an appeal to the Press and Registration Appellate Board. The Appellate Board consists of a Chairman and another member nominated by the Press Council of India. The Board may, after making proper enquiries, confirm, modify or set aside the order appealed against, and the decision of the Board shall be final.