3. THE VERNACULAR PRESS ACT, 1878

The government under Lord Lytton passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878. It was designed to better control the Vernacular Press and to empower the government with more effective means of punishing and repressing seditious writings.

The following regulations were imposed under this act

• The act empowered the District Magistrate to call upon the printer and publisher of any Vernacular newspaper to enter into an undertaking not to publish anything.
• The Magistrate could further require a publisher to deposit security and forfeit it if the newspaper contravened the regulation.
• If the offense reoccurred, the press equipment could be seized.
• The Magistrate’s action was final and no appeal could be made to the Court of Law.

The act came to be nicknamed as Gagging Act. The worst feature of the act was that it discriminated between the English Press and the Vernacular Press and no Right of Appeal to a Court of Law was given. Under the Vernacular Press Act, proceedings were instituted against Samachar. Consequently, in September 1878, the pre-censorship clause was deleted. After the suggestion of the Secretary of State, a Press Commissioner was appointed, charged with the duty of supplying authentic and accurate news to the press. The Vernacular Press Act was repealed in 1882 by Lord Ripon.

THE NEWSPAPER ACT, OF 1908

The government followed a repressive policy and enacted the Newspaper Act (Incitement to Offences) Act in 1908. This act empowered the Magistrates to confiscate the press and its property if it published any material inciting the public to resort to violence.

THE INDIAN PRESS ACT, OF 1910

The Indian Press Act of 1910 revived the worst features of Lytton’s Press Act of 1878. The act empowered the local government to demand a security deposit of not less than 500 and not more than 2000, for fortification in case of publication of any objectionable material. To some relief, the aggrieved newspapers could appeal before the tribunal of the High Court.

PRESS COMMITTEE, 1921

The Press Committee was appointed under the Chairmanship of Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru. It recommended the repeal of the Press Act of 1908 and 1910. The government accepted the Sapru Committee’s recommendations.

THE INDIAN PRESS (EMERGENCY POWERS) ACT, 1931

This act revived the provisions of the Press Act of 1910. In 1931, the government enacted the Indian Press (Emergency Powers) Act. This act gave sweeping powers to the provincial government in suppressing the propaganda for the Civil Disobedience Movement.