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Vernacular Press Act 1878: by Mani Raj B.A. LL.B (Hons) Roll No. - 2124 2019-24

The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 gave local magistrates the power to censor vernacular newspapers and require publishers to post security deposits or face fines and press seizures if publications were deemed to "rouse feelings of disaffection". It aimed to control the growing influence of vernacular newspapers in smaller cities in reporting on political affairs and demanding rights for people. The Act faced widespread opposition and was repealed in 1881 under pressure.

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464 views7 pages

Vernacular Press Act 1878: by Mani Raj B.A. LL.B (Hons) Roll No. - 2124 2019-24

The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 gave local magistrates the power to censor vernacular newspapers and require publishers to post security deposits or face fines and press seizures if publications were deemed to "rouse feelings of disaffection". It aimed to control the growing influence of vernacular newspapers in smaller cities in reporting on political affairs and demanding rights for people. The Act faced widespread opposition and was repealed in 1881 under pressure.

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VERNACULAR PRESS ACT

1878

By Mani Raj
B.A. LL.B(Hons)
Roll no. -2124
2019-24
Why Vernacular Press Act ?

 The latter half of the 19th century saw a remarkable growth in the
Vernacular Press of the country and newspapers played a role of catalyst in
the new socio-political consciousness.

 Earlier, the newspaper were being published in Calcutta, Madras, Bombay,


Allahabad only but later the newspapers started getting published from
smaller places also.

 Since, most of the newspapers from smaller places, they all were in
vernacular languages.

 In 1878, when this act was passed, the number of English newspapers was
20 and Vernacular newspapers were 200.

 These vernacular newspapers made the people aware of the political affairs
and now the people slowly started asking questions for their rights.
What was this Act ?

 In the best interest of the Government, Lord Lytton passed the


Vernacular Press Act in 1878.

 By this act, the magistrate or commissioner of police were


empowered, without the prior permission of the Government, to
call upon any printer and publisher of any kind to enter into a
bond, undertaking not to publish anything which might “rouse”
feelings of disaffection against the government.

 The magistrate was also authorized to deposit a security, which


could be confiscated if the printer violated the Bond.

 If a printer repeated the violation, his press could be seized.


What Happened ?

 The Act provided for submitting to police all the proof sheets of
contents of papers before publication. What was seditious news was to
be determined by the police, and not by the judiciary.

 Under this Act many of the papers were fined and their editors jailed.

 The affected party could not seek redress in a court of law.

 Amrita Bazar Patrika’ of Sisir Kumar Ghosh was published both in


English and Bengali. With the enactment of this Act, it was published
in English only.
The main newspapers of that times that made the
government worried were :-

1. Somprakash

2. Sulabh Samachar

3. Halisahar Patrika

4. Amrita Bazar Patrika

5. Bharat Mihir

6. Dacca Prakash

7. Sadharani

8. Bharat Sanskarak
 In 1883, Surendranath Banerjea became the first Indian
journalist to be imprisoned.

 In an angry editorial in The Bengalee Banerjea had


criticised a judge of Calcutta High Court for being
insensitive to the religious sentiments of Bengalis in one
of his judgements.
End of the Act

 There was strong opposition to the Act

 The law was repealed in 1881 by Lytton’s successor as


viceroy, Lord Rippon.

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