Keyword(s):
Public Harmony, Public Order, Printer, Publisher, Editor
- Short title extent and commencement: (1) This Act may be
called the Punjab Special Powers (Press) Act, 1956.
(2) It extends to the State of Punjab.
(3) It shall come into force at once.
1 (For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary),
1956, page 1149.
2 (For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary),
1957, page 339.
3 (For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary),
1957, page 1662.
4 (For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary),
1960, page 1913.
-2- - Power to control publication: (1) The State Government or any
authority so authorized in this behalf if satisfied that such action is necessary for
the purpose of preventing or combating any activity prejudicial to the
maintenance of communal harmony affecting or likely to affect public order may,
by order in writing addressed to a printer, publisher or editor:-
(a) prohibit the printing or publication in any document or any class of
documents of any matter relating to a particular subject or class of
subjects for a specified period or in a particular issue or issues of a
newspaper or periodical.
Provided that no such order shall remain in force for more than two
months from the making thereof ¹[unless before the expiry of such
period the State Government, by an order made in the like manner,
extends it by any period not exceeding two months at a time as it
thinks fit so, however, that the total period of the original order
does not exceed six months].
Provided further that the person against whom the order has been made
may, within ten days of the passing of this order, make a
representation to the State Government, which may on
consideration thereof modify, confirm or rescind the order;
(b) require that any matter, covering not more than two columns, be
published in any particular issue or issues of a newspaper or
periodical on payment of adequate remuneration and may, while
doing so, specify the period (not exceeding one week) during
which and the manner in which such publication shall take place;
(c) require that any matter relating to a particular subject or class of
subjects, shall before publication be submitted for scrutiny by an
authority appointed by the State Government in its behalf and
published only in accordance with the directions given thereat.
(2) In the event of disobedience of an order under this section, the State
Government or the authority issuing the order may, without prejudice to the other
penalty to which the person guilty of the disobedience is liable under this Act,
order the seizure of all copies of any publication concerned and of any printing
press or other instrument or apparatus used in the publication.
1 Added by Punjab Act No.29 of 1960, section 2.
-3- - Power to prohibit entry into Punjab of newspapers etc.: ¹(1)
[The State Government or any authority authorized by it in this behalf, if satisfied
that such action is necessary for the purpose of preventing or combating any
activity prejudicial to the maintenance of communal harmony affecting or likely
to affect public order, may , by order notified in the official Gazette, prohibit the
bringing into Punjab of any newspaper, periodical, leaflet, or other publications.
Provided that no such order shall remain in force for more than two
months from the making thereof ² [unless before the expiry of such period the
State Government, by an order made in the like manner, extends it by any period
not exceeding two months at a time as it thinks fit so, however that the total
period of the original order does not exceed six months].
Provided further that a person aggrieved by such order may, within ten
days of the passing thereof, make a representation to the State Government which
may on consideration thereof modify, confirm or rescind the order.
(2) In the event of disobedience of an order under this section, the State
Government or the authority issuing the order may, without prejudice to the other
penalty to which the person guilty of the disobedience is liable under this Act,
order the seizure of all copies of any newspaper, periodical, leaflet or other
publication concerned. - Penalty: Whoever contravenes, disobeys or neglects to comply
with any order made or direction given under section 2 and 3 of this Act shall, on
conviction, be liable to be punished with imprisonment of either description
which may extend to one-year or with fine up to one thousand rupees or with
both.
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No.40 of 1957, section 2. - Added by Punjab Act No.29 of 1960, section 2.
