RNI & Rules RNI : The Registrar of Newspapers for IndiaThe office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India,

popularly known as RNI came into being on1 July 1956, on the recommendation of the First Press Commission in 1953 and by amending thePress and Registration of Books Act 1867. The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers isresponsible for implementation of the Press and Registration of Books Act. The Registrar of Newspapers for India has its Headquarters at New Delhi. The Regional offices of RNI are atMumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.How to start a newspaper? 1. The first step to start a newspaper is to get the title (name of the proposed newspaper) verifiedfrom RNI 2. . For this the publisher has to make an application for title verification indicating the name,language, periodicity, owner name and place of publication of the newspaper proposed, andsubmit it to the District Magistrate concerned. 3. The District Magistrate after ensuring the credentials of the applicant, will forward theapplication to the RNI, who in turn checks the availability of the title and if found verifies it. RNIinforms the DM and publisher, the availability of the title by issuing a letter of title verification. 4. After this, the publisher has to file a declaration with the District Magistrate in the prescribedformat available and can start publishing the newspaper. 5. The first issue of the newspaper should be printed within 42 days from the date of authentication of the declaration if it is a daily or weekly and in case of other periodicals, within90 days. 6. The application for registration can be submitted to the RNI along with an attested copy of thedeclaration, copy of title verification, first issue of the newspaper and a No Foreign Tie upaffidavit duly attested by a Notary. 7. The newspaper should contain volume number, issue number, title prominently displayed onthe cover page and all pages, date line and page number on all pages and an imprint linecontaining the name of printer, publisher, owner and editor, address of the place of publicationand name and address of the printing press. 8. If the printer and publisher are different persons, separate declarations are required. What are the formalities required after registration? A copy of the newspaper should be delivered to the RNI whenever it is printed. The first issueafter the last day of February should contain the Form No.IV duly filled in (Statement regardingownership and other particulars of the newspaper). It is also mandatory to submit an annualstatement in form II , on or before the last day of May every year. In case of daily newspapers,an additional form AR-R may also be submitted. When to file fresh declaration? Whenever there is a change of publisher, printer, owners, periodicity and printing press, the publisher/printer has to make a fresh declarationFollowing are the services provided by RNI: -Title clearance: The title cell verifies and approves titles for new publication in the country. Theapplications are received from the Magistrates all over the country under section 6 of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. These are examined with reference to a database of titles maintained in the office computer record. Titles are finally approved at the level of Press Registrar.Registration of Newspapers: Once the Registrar of Newspapers for India verifies the title, on the basis of

an authenticated application by Magistrate, the Publisher must apply for registration within a period of two years. The following documents are required for registration:a) Copy of the Title Verification Letter. b) Attested copy of the Declaration duly authenticated by theDistrict Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate etc. c) Affidavit for No Foreign Tie-up duly notarized. d) Copy of first issue of the publication brought out within 42 days in case of dailies andweeklies and 90 days for fortnightly and above.e) Copy of the latest issue of the publication. In case the applicant does not apply for registration within the stipulated period of two years, the title is deblocked and available to any other applicant. Revised Registration Certificate: The publisher must apply for the Revised Certificate of Registration in case of change of Publisher, Printer, Printing Press, Place of Publication and Periodicity. He/She is required to submit the following documents on the basis of which Revised Registration is issued: a) Original Certificate of Registration issued by the Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India and in case it is lost, he/she is required to submit the affidavit for loss of certificate dulynotarized along with the IPO of Rs.5/-. b) Attested copy of the latest declaration duly authenticat by District Magistrate/Addl. DistrictMagistrate concerned. (Prescribed format is available on the website www.rni.nic.in) c) Affidavit for No Foreign Tie-up duly notarized. d) Latest issue of the publication. e) In case of change of Editor or price, the declaration is not required. The publisher can intimatethese changes in writing. The changes will be entered in the Registrar of Newspapers records. f) In case of change of ownership, the previous owner of the publication has to file an affidavitfor transfer of ownership duly certified by the concerned First Class Magistrate concerned andthe latest declaration filed by the present publisher/printer of the publication. Circulation Check: Circulation verification of newspapers is undertaken with the authorityderived from Section 19 F of the Press and Registration of Books Act 1867. RNI takes up cases for circulation checks, which are referred to it by, DAVP/PIB/State Governments and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Check is also undertaken on the basis of serious complaints against publications. Circulation checks are carried out on the basis of documents and/or physical verification check. Certificates are issued as either Established, Lower established or Un established. The documents required for Verification of Circulation claim are under: a) A Photostat copy of Annual Statement for the year under verification. The publisher of daily newspapers may also send Statement of daily Press in Form AR4

(Statement regarding Daily Press Newspapers). The form can be down loaded from the official website www.rni.nic.in. b) Seven issues of each month of the year under verification for the dates (as specified in the notice) in the case of dailies and one set of all issues in the cases of other periodicals. One copyof the latest issue may also be sent.c) Details of printing machinery, its make, size, speed per hour etc. of each machine, printing schedule (page-wise and details) of the other printing jobs if any, along with Photostat copies of print orders, printing charges bills and payees receipts as proof of payment for the month (as specified in the notice)d) Particulars of newsprint with opening balance as on the first day of April (the year as specified in the notice), quantity purchase during the year under verification, total consumption during the year and closing balance as on the last day of the year under check, the % age of wastage during printing, Grammage of the newsprint used may also be indicated) Photostat copies of the paper purchase bills for the year under check along with copies of the payees receipts as proof of payment) A statement giving details about the distribution of copies such as name of the agent/hawker ,stating number of copies sent, mode of dispatch i.e. by rail, road, post etc., payment received, mode of dispatch along with Photostat copies of agency bills, payment receipts issued to agents/hawkers dispatch receipts etc. for the month (as specified in the notice).g) Profits and Loss account for the financial year under verification, month-wise sale proceeds from April to March (the year as specified in the notice) along with Profit and Loss account may be submitted, indicating the month-wise billed account of sold copies.h) Permanent income tax number of owner, if any. If not, the reasons thereof. Note: All Photostat documents must be attested by Gazetted Officer/Notary Public. Unattested documents will not be entertained. Name, designation and office of the attesting officer should be mentioned clearly. Eligibility Certificate for import of Newsprint: The publisher/owner of newspaper/ periodical registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India, has to submit the following documents for obtaining the Eligibility Certificate for import of newsprint (standard/glazed):-a) Application form duly filled in and signed by the publisher/owner. b) Photocopy of the Annual Statement for the previous financial year duly certified by theChartered Accountant and attested by Notary public.c) Annual Return for import and consumption of newsprint for the previous financial year duly signed by the Publisher/owner and certified by the Chartered Accountant in original) Two Photocopies of Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Newspapers for India) 12 copies of the publication i.e., a copy each of the month published during the previous financial year along with the latest issue of the publication)Purchase of Indigenous Newsprint: The small and medium newspapers registered with theRegistrar of Newspapers for India can purchase indigenous newsprint as per their requirement by producing Registration Certificate to scheduled mills recognized by the Government. The list of scheduled mills is given below: