This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's response to questions regarding the registration and regulation of media outlets, as of July 23, 2025.
The Ministry addresses concerns about the Press Registrar General's office failing to update details of print media and the backlog of applications for data changes and penalties. The response highlights the implementation of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 (PRP Act, 2023) and the Press and Registration of Periodicals Rules, 2024, which came into effect on March 1, 2024. These have streamlined the registration process through the Press Sewa Portal, a single-window digital platform. Over 150,000 physical records have been digitized and migrated to the portal. While penalties for non-submission of particulars have been removed, penalties are levied for non-submission or delayed submission of annual statements. The government clarified that clearing pending penalties is not a prerequisite for filing annual statements and has extended the deadline for filing the Annual Statement for the financial year 2024-25 to July 31, 2025.
Regarding the registration of Radio, TV, and electronic media, and social media platforms, the Ministry refers to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified on February 25, 2021. Rule 18 of these rules mandates publishers of news and current affairs content and publishers of online curated content to furnish specific information to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Key Entities Referenced
SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE: A Member of Parliament who raised an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the Press Registrar General.
Press Registrar General India: The office responsible for updating details of print media and handling registration-related matters.
RNIPRGI: Potentially an abbreviation related to the Registrar of Newspapers for India, concerning data updation in registration certificates and penalties.
DR. L MURUGAN: Minister of State for Information Broadcasting; and Parliamentary Affairs, responsible for answering the questions raised in the Lok Sabha.
The Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023: A new act that reformed and streamlined the process of registering periodicals.
The Press and Registration of Periodicals Rules, 2024: Rules established in 2024 to support the implementation of The Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023.
Press Sewa Portal: A single-window digital platform for all registration-related matters concerning periodicals.
Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021: A set of guidelines notified by the Government of India regarding digital media ethics and intermediaries.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
LOK SABHA
ADMITTED UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 578
(TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025)
PRESS REGISTRAR GENERAL
578: SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE:
Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that office of the Press Registrar General India has failed to update
all details of print media as on date 30 June 2025;
(b) whether it is also a fact that thousands of applications for changes of data updation in
registration certificate and penalties for regularity with RNI-PRGI are pending with
Government, for which the publications can not file proper annual statements for the
current year therefor;
(c) whether the Government has any plan to register all the Radio, TV and Electronic
Media of the country in a single database along with viewers information thereof and
if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of initiatives taken by the Government to register all the social media and
other platforms within the purview of Government registration or empanelment
thereto?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION & BROADCASTING; AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; {DR. L MURUGAN}
(a) and (b):
The Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 (PRP Act, 2023) and the Press and
Registration of Periodicals Rules, 2024 (PRP Rules) came into effect from 1st March 2024.
The new Act has reformed and streamlined the process of registering periodicals.
Press Sewa Portal is now a single-window digital platform for all registration-related matters.
It is aimed at ensuring efficiency and transparency. Physical records of more than 1.5 Lakh
periodicals under the previous Act have also been digitized and migrated to Press Sewa Portal.
Revision and updation of particulars of any periodical is an ongoing process.PRP Act has done away with the penal provisions for non-submission of particulars but the
penalties are levied for non-submission or delayed submission of annual statements. Currently,
no penalty is being imposed for failing to publish regularly or for any other matter under the
new PRP Act, 2023.
Clearing of pending penalties is not a prerequisite for filing annual statements.
To facilitate the publishers further, Government has extended the last date for filing the Annual
Statement for the financial year 2024-25 up to 31st July 2025.
(c) and (d):
The Government of India has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines
and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on 25.02.2021.
Rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021 requires publishers of news and current affairs content and
publishers of online curated content to furnish certain basic information to the Ministry of
Information & Broadcasting.
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