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REGISTERED No. D-(D)-72

The Gazette of India

EXTRAORDINARY

PART II—Section 2

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

No. 15] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1976/MAGHA 3, 1897

Separate paging is given to this Part in order that it may be filed

as a separate compilation.

LOK SABHA

The following Bill were introduced in Lok Sabha on the 23rd January,

1976.

BILL NO. 24 OF 1976

A Bill to repeal the Press Council Act, 1965, and to provide for certain

matters incidental thereto.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-sixth Year of the Republic

of India as follows: —

1. {1) This Act may be called the Press Council (Repeal) Act, 1976.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 1st day of

January, 1976.

Short title and com- mence- ment.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

Defini- tions.

(a) "appointed day" means the 1st day of January, 1976;

(b) "Press Council" means the Press Council of India established

under section 3 of the Press Council Act, 1965.

34 of 1965.

3. On the appointed day, the Press Council Act, 1965, shall stand re-

pealed, and the Press Council shall stand dissolved.

C 439 )

Repeal of Act 34 of 1965, and dissolu- tion of Press Council.

4. On the dissolution of the Press Council,—

Conse- quential provi- sions.

(a) all monies and other property of whatever, kind (including the Fund of the Press Council) owned by, or vested in, the Press Council, immediately before the appointed day shall, on the appoint- ed day, stand transferred to and vest in the Central Government;

(b) subject to the provisions of clause (d), any suit, appeal or other proceeding of whatever nature pending immediately before the appointed day before any court or other authority in which the Press Council is a party shall, on the appointed day, abate;

(c) any proceeding of whatever nature pending immediately before the appointed day before the Press Council shall, on the appointed day, abate

(d) all liabilities and obligations of the Press Council of what- ever kind and subsisting immediately before the appointed day, shall, on and from the appointed day, be deemed to be the liabilities or obligations, as the case may be, of the Central Government, and any proceeding or cause of action petading or existing immediately before the appointed day by or against the Press Council in relation to such liability or obligation may, as from the appointed day, be continued and enforced by or against the Central Government;

(e) any thing, or any action, which ought to have be'en done or taken by the Press Council before the appointed day with respect to the termination of servicd of its employees or with respect to any matter in relation thereto or arising therefrom, but not so done or taken by that Council, may, on and from the appointed day, be done or taken by thex Central Government.

5. (1) The¹ Press Council (Repeal) Ordinance, 1975, ia hereby repealed. 26 of 197B.

Repeal and saving.

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under section 4 of the Ordinance so repealed shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

On the basis of the recommendations of the Press Commission, the Press Council of India was established on 4th July, 1966, under the Press Council Act, 1965, mainly with the object of maintaining and improving the¹ standards of newspapers and news agencies and to preserve the free- dom of the press. The functions to be performed by the Press Council under the Press Council Act, 1965 included, among other things, the building up of a code of conduct for newspapers, news agencies and journalists in accordance with high professional standards, ensuring on the part of newspapers, etc., the maintenance of high standards of public taste, fostering a due sense of both the rights and responsibilities of •citizenship and encouraging the growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among all those engaged in the profession of journalism. It was felt that the institution of the Press Council was not able to carry on its functions effectively to achieve the objects for which the Council was established. It was, therefore, decided to repeal thd Press Council Act. As the term of the last Press Council was due to expire on 31st December, 1975 and since Parliament wag not in session, the Press Coun- cil Act, 1965, was repealed on 1st January, 1976, by the Press Council (Repeal) Ordinance, 1975. This Bill seeks to replace the said Ordinance.

NEW DELHI; V1DYA CHARAN SHUKLA.

The 16th January, 1976.

FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM

Clause 4(a) of the Bill provides that all monies and other property of the Press Council shall stand transferred to and vest in the Central Gov- ernment from the appointed day, namely, 1st January 1976. Sub-clause (d) provides that all liabilities and obligations of the Press Council shall from that day be those of the Central Government. It is anticipated that the said liabilities and obligations can be met within the provision of Rs. 4-88 lakhs in the current year's revised budget estimates for the Press Council. There will be no recurring expenditure.

NEW DELHI; VIDYA CHAR AN SHUKLA.

The 21st January, 1976. Minister of Information and

Broadcasting.

S. L. SHAKDHER,

Secretary-General.

PRINTED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PRESS. MINTO ROAD, NEW DELHI AND PUBLISHED BY THE CONTROLLER OF PUBLICATIONS, DELHI, 1976