I&B Ministry
Govt. denies interference in working of CBFC
NEW DELHI: The Government has categorically denied any interference in the decision-making of the Central Board of Film Certification or any coercion on the chairperson or any other member by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
Minister of state for I&B Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that the Ministry had ‘at no point’ communicated with the chairperson or members regarding certification of any film.
While announcing that Pahlaj Nihalani was made chairman and 10 new Board members had been appointed to fill the places of nine members who resigned, Rathore told Parliament that the legal regime with regard to CBFC is well laid out and it is the Board alone which decides within its jurisdiction.
Aggrieved producers have the right to move the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal headed by a retired Judge of a High Court which decides matters in appeal in accordance with the Cinematograph Act.
There are adequate provisions in the Act and the Rules to protect the autonomy of the Board.
He said Leela Samson’s tenure as chairperson had ended in March but she had continued to hold charge because as per the Certification Rules an outgoing Chairperson has to hold charge until the new incumbent takes over. While there is no such rule for the members, fourteen members whose tenure had ended on 24 May had been asked to continue until further orders.
The resignation of Samson and nine other members who resigned alleging interference was accepted with effect from 19 January this year.
I&B Ministry
Press Sewa Portal digitises 1.5 lakh records, streamlines periodical registrations: MIB
Online system spans 780 districts; Rs 5.6 crore penalties, 88,315 titles cancelled
NEW DELHI: India’s print media registry has quietly moved from dusty files to digital dashboards. The government has digitised more than 1.5 lakh historical records of newspapers and periodicals and shifted registrations fully online through the Press Sewa Portal.
Introduced under the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023, the portal now handles all applications for registering periodicals, replacing the earlier paper-heavy system created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has since been repealed.
The digital shift brings a wide range of services onto a single platform. Publishers can now register new periodicals, revise registrations, transfer ownership, file annual statements, pay penalties online and apply for circulation verification without navigating government offices.
As part of the rollout, specified authorities in 780 districts across India have been onboarded onto the platform. Since 1 March 2024, the portal has processed 11,081 applications and issued certificates across different categories.
The transition has also brought stronger compliance. According to government data, Rs 5.63 crore in penalties has been collected through the portal so far. States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh account for some of the largest penalty collections.
At the same time, the authorities have carried out a major clean-up of inactive or non-compliant publications. A total of 88,315 periodicals have been cancelled nationwide, with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi among the states reporting the highest number of cancellations.
The government says the system will continue to evolve based on feedback from users. The Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) regularly reviews suggestions to improve services and make compliance easier for publishers.
The full list of registered newspapers and periodicals is available on the PRGI website under the Registered Titles section.
The information was shared in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs L Murugan, responding to a question from Damodar Agrawal.
