88,315 publications cancelled, over Rs 5 cr penalties imposed via Press Sewa Portal: MIB

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan said since March 1, 2024, a total of 11,081 applications have been processed through the Press Sewa Portal

by e4m Staff
Published: Mar 11, 2026 6:58 PM | 2 min read

More than 1.5 lakh legacy records of newspaper registrations have been digitised and integrated into the Press Sewa Portal as part of the government’s transition to a fully digital system for press registration services, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question by Damodar Agrawal, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan said the records were originally created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has now been repealed.

Murugan added that since March 1, 2024, a total of 11,081 applications have been processed through the Press Sewa Portal and certificates have b een issued under relevant categories.

The minister also said that penalties amounting to over Rs 5 crore have been imposed through the portal, while 88,315 publications have been cancelled as part of regulatory action.

According to the government, all applications for registration of periodicals are now processed digitally under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 through the Press Sewa Portal.

Services available on the platform include registration of new periodicals, revision of registration of existing publications, transfer of ownership, filing of annual statements, payment of penalties online and circulation verification.

The government has also onboarded specified authorities from 780 districts on the portal as part of the implementation of the new law.

The Press Registrar General of India continues to monitor the functioning of the portal and collect feedback to improve services, the minister added.

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