16. Power of Central Government to issue directions.—(1) Without prejudice to the foregoing
provisions of this Act, the Central Government may give directions on matters of policy to the Press
Registrar General, in writing, from time to time and the Press Registrar General shall, in the discharge of
his powers and functions under this Act, be bound by such directions.
(2) The decision of the Central Government as to whether a question is one of policy or not shall be
final.
17. Press Registrar General and other officers to be public servants.—The Press Registrar General
and all officers appointed under this Act shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of
section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
18. Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against the
Central Government or State Government or Union territory Administration or the Press Registrar General
or any officer or employee authorised by the Press Registrar General, for anything which is in good faith
done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or the rules made thereunder.
19. Power of Central Government to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification
in the Official Gazette, after previous publication, make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, such rules may
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the manner and particulars for furnishing an intimation before the specified authority by the
printing press under section 3;
(b) the manner of registration of a facsimile edition of a foreign periodical under sub-section (3) of
section 4;
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(c) the manner of verification of circulation figure of class of periodicals under clause (b) of
section 6;
(d) the form, fees and manner of making an online application, documents to be furnished and
particulars to be set forth under sub-section (2) of section 7;
(e) the form in which and the particulars along with which a certificate of registration shall be
issued under sub-section (5) of section 7;
(f) the manner of making an application and particulars to be set forth therein under sub-section (1)
of section 8;
(g) the form, fees and manner of making an application, documents to be furnished and particulars
to be set forth under sub-section (2) of section 9;
(h) the circumstances and manner for authorising the specified authority to suspend or cancel the
certificate of registration under sub-section (7) of section 11;
(i) the form, time and particulars for furnishing an annual statement under section 12;
(j) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed under the provisions of this Act.
(3) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette of the State, make such rules not
inconsistent with the rules made by the Central Government, as may be necessary or desirable for carrying
out the objects of this Act.
(4) Every rule made by the State Government under sub-section (3) shall be laid, as soon as may be
after it is made, before the State Legislature.
20. Power to remove difficulties.—(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this
Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the
difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made under this section after the expiry of three years from the
commencement of this Act.
(2) Every order made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each
House of Parliament.
21. Laying of rules and notification.—Every rule made or notification issued by the Central
Government under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made or issued, before each House of
Parliament while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or
in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the
session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or
notification or both Houses agree that the rule or notification should not be made or issued, the rule or
notification shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be;
so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything
previously done under that rule or notification.
22. Repeal and savings.—(1) The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 (25 of 1867) is hereby
repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal,—
(a) anything done or any action taken or purported to have been done or taken including any rule,
notification, inspection, order or declaration made or any document or instrument executed or any
direction given or any proceedings taken or any penalty or fine imposed under the Act hereby repealed
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shall, in so far as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, be deemed to have been done or
taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act;
(b) any declaration, including title thereof, so made and authenticated under the provisions of the
Act hereby repealed, shall be deemed to have been made and authenticated under the corresponding
provisions of this Act;
(c) any proceeding pending in any court at the commencement of this Act may be continued in that
court as if this Act has not been passed;
(d) the Press Registrar General and other officers appointed under the Act hereby repealed and
holding office as such immediately before the commencement of this Act, shall, on the commencement
of this Act, continue to hold their respective offices under the corresponding provisions of this Act,
unless and until they are removed or superannuated;
(e) the Press and Registration Appellate Board established under the Act hereby repealed shall
continue to function under the corresponding provisions of this Act, unless and until the Press and
Registration Appellate Board is constituted under this Act;
(f) any appeal preferred to the Press and Registration Appellate Board hereby repealed and not
disposed of before the commencement of this Act, may be disposed of by the Press and Registration
Appellate Board constituted under this Act;
(g) any penalty payable under the Act hereby repealed may be recovered in the manner provided
by or under this Act, but without prejudice to any action already taken for the recovery of such penalty
under the Act so repealed;
(h) any certificate of registration issued or granted under the Act hereby repealed shall continue to
have effect after the commencement of this Act under the same conditions as if this Act had not been
passed.
(3) The matters referred to in clauses (a) to (h) of sub-section (2) shall not be held to prejudice or affect
the general application of section 6 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897) with regard to the effect
of such repeal.