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In force Central Act No. 15 of 1977

The Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act, 1977

An Act to protect the publication of reports of proceedings of Parliament.

Enacted
18 April 1977
Ministry
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Sections
4
Text retrieved
15 September 2026
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Unofficial text. This copy is for reference and has no legal authority. Check the Gazette of India before relying on it. View on India Code

Source and data quality
Source
India Code, Legislative Department (record 123456789/496352)
Retrieved
15 September 2026
Extraction method
sections
Quality score
1.000 out of 1

1. Short title, extent and commencement

(1)

This Act may be called the Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act, 1977.

(2)

It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir*.

(3)

It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 25th day of March, 1977.

Amendment notes (1)
  1. *. Vide Notification No. S.O. 3912 (E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh.

2. Definition

In this Act, "newspaper" means any printed periodical work containing public news or comments on public news, and includes a news agency supplying material for publication in a newspaper.

3. Publication of reports of Parliamentary proceedings privileged

(1)

Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2), no person shall be liable to any proceedings, civil or criminal, in any court in respect of the publication in a newspaper of a substantially true report of any proceedings of either House of Parliament, unless the publication is proved to have been made with malice.

(2)

Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be construed as protecting the publication of any matter, the publication of which is not for the public good.

4. Act also to apply to Parliamentary proceedings broadcast by wireless telegraphy

This Act shall apply in relation to reports or matters broadcast by means of wireless telegraphy as part of any programme or service provided by means of a broadcasting station situate within the territories to which this Act extends as it applies in relation to reports or matters published in a newspaper.