PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS

(PROTECTION OF PUBLICATIONS)
ACT, 1956

Submitted by
Harsha T
1st MA JMC
Department of Mass Communication and
Journalism, University of Calicut

Submitted to
Ramis Salam
MCJ 105 – Communication Laws and Ethics
8 May, 2021
 PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS
(PROTECTION OF PUBLICATIONS)
ACT, 1956

In order to strengthen the basis of democratic Government

which is the Parliament and opinion of the people therein, it is of
paramount importance that proceedings in Parliament shall be
communicated to the public. For this purpose, newspapers and other
mass publicity media should be afforded the privilege of publishing
substantially true reports of proceedings in Parliament without being
exposed to any civil or criminal action. This Act maybe call the
Parliamentary Proceedings Act, (Act 24 of 1956) came in 26th May,
1956. This Act is repealed by Act 28 of 1976.
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.

 It extends to the whole of India expect the State of Jammu and

Kashmir.
 It shall be deemed to have come in to force on the 25th day of
March, 1977.
KEYWORDS

 Parliament: Is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of

India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the President of
India and the two houses.

 Breach: Is an act of breaking or falling to observe a law,

agreement or code of conduct.

 Privilege: A special right, advantage or immunity granted

only to a particular person or group.

 Contempt: The offence of being disobedient to or disrespectful

of a court of law and its officers.


 Publication of reports of Parliamentary proceedings is
privileged.
 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.
 Also shall be constructed as protecting the publication of
any matter, the publication of which is not for the public
good.

This Act shall apply in relation to report or matters broadcast by

means of wireless telegraphy as part of any program or service
provided by means of a broadcasting station situate within the
territories to which this Act extends as it supplies in relation to reports
or matters published in a newspaper.

Limitation on Publication of Proceedings

          This protection has been accorded within the overall limitation
that the House has the power to control and, if necessary, to prohibit
the publication of its debates or proceedings and to punish for the
violation of its orders.
  In the Lok Sabha, the Secretary-General is authorized to prepare
and publish a full report of the proceedings of the House under
the direction of the Speaker.  The Speaker may also authorize
the printing, publication, distribution or sale of any paper,
document or report in connection with the business of the House
or a committee thereof.
 Article 118 of the Constitution of India provides that each
House of Parliament may make rules for regulating, subject to
the provisions of the Constitution, its procedure and conduct of
its business.
 Rule 379 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in
Lok Sabha empowers the Speaker, Lok Sabha to get a full report
of the proceedings of the House, at each of its sittings, published
in such form and manner as he may direct from time to time.
Each House has the power to control and if necessary, to
prohibit the publication of its debates and proceedings.
 Normally, no restrictions are imposed on reporting the
proceedings of the House.  But when debates or proceedings of
the House or its Committees are reported mala fide or there is
wilful misrepresentation or suppression of speeches of particular
members, it is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House
and the offender is liable to be punished. 
 

It is also a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to

publish any part of the proceedings or evidence given before, or any
document presented to a Parliamentary Committee before such
proceedings or evidence or documents have been reported to the
House.
 Each House of Parliament, as also a House of the Legislature of
a State is the sole judge of its privileges and accordingly it has the
power to punish any person for a breach of privilege or contempt of
the House and commit the offender to custody or prison. 

This Act helps the journalists to make any can comment on the
parliament’s proceeding. This was initiated by Firoz Gandhi and gave
immunity to the press in regard to faithful reporting of parliamentary
proceedings. Journalists can report any parliamentary reports
including defamatory statement without committing a breach of
privilege of the parliament.
CONCLUSION

Parliamentary proceedings are always different and unique. In a

Democratic country, the proceedings of Parliament should be
thoroughly checked by every citizens of India. Here we have live
broadcasting channels like Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV that
covers proceedings of central government and other public affairs
programming which makes these procedures familiarise within the
individuals. The journalists can cleanly report the things happen in the
Parliament and any offensive activities that happens there, can be
truly visible through them. This makes Indian society understand well
about the activities of elected representatives.
REFERENCES
 www-casemine-cdn.ampproject.org
 indiankanoon.org
 delhiassembly.nic.in
 thewire.in
 303-presslaws.com
 legislative.gov.in
 www.indiacode.nic.in
 youtube.com