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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has cancelled 88,315 publications and imposed penalties exceeding ₹5 crore through the Press Sewa Portal as part of regulatory action, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question by MP Damodar Agrawal, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan said that since March 1, 2024, a total of 11,081 applications have been processed through the Press Sewa Portal, with certificates issued across relevant categories.
Murugan also said that more than 1.5 lakh legacy records of newspaper registrations have been digitised and integrated into the portal as part of the government’s transition to a fully digital system for press registration services.
These records were originally created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has now been repealed and replaced by the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023.
According to the government, all applications for registration of periodicals are now processed digitally through the Press Sewa Portal under the new law.
The portal offers a range of services including registration of new periodicals, revision of registration details for existing publications, transfer of ownership, filing of annual statements, online payment of penalties, and circulation verification.
As part of the implementation of the new legislation, specified authorities from 780 districts have also been onboarded onto the portal.
Murugan added that the Press Registrar General of India is monitoring the functioning of the platform and collecting feedback from stakeholders to further improve its services.
