Chapter IIl AUTHORITIES

1. (1) The Central Government may, by order, appoint a Press Registrar General of India for carrying out the purposes of this Act.
2. (2) The Central Government may, by general or special order, appoint such other officers under the general superintendence and control of the Press Registrar General, as may be necessary, for the purpose of performing the functions assigned to the Press Registrar General by or under this Act and may, by such order provide for the distribution or allocation of functions to be performed by them under this Act.
3. (3) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the Press Registrar General shall perform the following functions, namely:---
   • (a) issue a certificate of registration to a periodical;
   • (b) maintain a register of registered periodicals;
   • (c) make guidelines for admissibility and availability of title of a periodical;
   • (d) collect fees, as may be applicable, with regard to applications received by him under this Act;
   • (e) receive funds from the Central Government and disburse the same for implementation of the provisions of this Act;
   • (f) prepare and publish an annual report containing information in respect of the periodicals in India;
   • (g) any function incidental to, or connected with, clauses (a) to (f); and
   • (h) any other function as may be assigned to it by the Central Government for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

The Press Registrar General shall---

1. (a) obtain annual statements of a periodical;
2. (b) verify the circulation figure of such class of periodicals in such manner and for such purpose, as may be prescribed, and shall have access to any relevant record or document relating to a periodical in the possession of the owner of such periodical or printer thereof, and enter any premises where the business of such periodical is carried on at any reasonable time to inspect or take copies of the relevant records or documents or ask any question necessary for obtaining any information required to be furnished;
3. (c) revise, suspend or cancel registration of a periodical;
4. (d) requisition the services of an authorised person and such other person as may be specified by him for undertaking verification of circulation figure of a periodical. Explanation.---For the removal of doubts, it is clarified that an "authorised person" means a Gazetted Officer of the Central Government, subordinate to the Press Registrar General, and authorised by the Press Registrar General in writing to function as his representative for discharging such functions as he may assign to such representative;
5. (e) call for records, documents and such other information in respect of a printing press or a periodical as may be required in discharge of his duties;
6. (f) call for information from a State Government or Union territory Administration or a specified authority regarding a periodical; and
7. (g) impose penalty.