New Delhi / Bengaluru, June 12 (Karnataka News):
The Office of the Press Registrar General (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting), Government of India, has directed all publishers of registered periodicals in the country to submit the audited annual statement for the financial year 2024-25 by June 30, 2026, failing which a hefty penalty will be imposed.
According to the ‘Advisory No. 11 of 2026’ issued by the government, it is mandatory for every registered magazine under Section 7 of the ‘Press and Magazines Registration (PRB) Act, 2023’ to submit its annual statement online through the ‘Press Sewa Portal’ within the prescribed period. According to Section 14 of the Act, publishers who fail to submit the report within one year of the end of the financial year will be liable to penalty.
Penalty details:
For first-time defaulters: A minimum fine of Rs. 10,000/- (Ten thousand rupees) will be imposed if the report is not submitted by the due date.
For subsequent series of failures: The penalty amount doubles for each subsequent year of default (e.g. Rs. 20,000/- for the second time).
Maximum penalty limit:
The amount of this fine may reach a maximum of Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupees Two Lakh).
No extension of time:
Stating that the government will not extend the deadline beyond June 30, 2026, for any reason, fines will be collected from publishers who violate the rules, Deputy Press Registrar General Ratnakar Pamula said in a statement.
