INDIAN PRESS BILL

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26516, 3 September 1951, Page 7

INDIAN PRESS BILL

CHECKING ABUSES OF FREEDOM NEW DELHI, August 31. The Minister of the Interior (Mr Chakavarti Rajagopalaohari) introduced in the Indian Parliament to-day a comprehensive- bill designed to deal with cases of abuse of the freedom of the press in India. Among the features of the new bjll are the following:— No censorship will be imposed on any newspaper in India; no action will be taken against a newspaper in anticipation, but only after proved abuse of freedom of the press by publication of “objectionable matter.”

The existing provision whereby financial security can be demanded from a newspaper when it is started will no longer be in force; the demand for security and forfeiture of security will not be matters to be decided by the Executive—as is the position at-present—but orders will be passed in every case by the Courts after full trial. The keeper of the press, or the publisher of a newspaper complained against, will .have the right to claim trial by a special jury, including people with journalistic experience; there will be right of appeal to the High Court on all points involved in every case.

The bill defines “objectionable matter" as including words or pictures which “incite or encourage, or tend to incite or encourage, any person to resort to violence or sabotage for the purpose of overthrowing or undermining the Government; incite or encourage, or tend to incite or encourage, any person to commit murder, sabotage, or any offence involving violence; incite or encourage any person to interfere with the administration of the law, or with the maintenance of law and order, or with the administration of laws regulating the supply ahd distribution of food, or other essential commodities or services; tend to promote feelings of enmity or hatred between different classes or persons in India; are grossly indecent, or are scurrilous or obscene.” •