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Nepal Press and Publication Registration Act, 2009

Preamble
Whereas, it is expedient to control the Press and Newspapers and to safely
keep each copy of all the printed, lithoed and published books in an inventory,
Be, it enacted (by His Majesty) on the advice of the cabinet.
Part-1
Parisista
1. This Act shall be called as "Nepal Press and Publication Registration Act,
2009".
2. This Act shall come into force throughout Nepal upon its publication in
Nepal Gazette.
3. Unless the context or subject otherwise provides in this Act, the following
words shall mean as following:
Definitions (Sabdartha)
(a) "Book" means a book, booklets, political pamphlet, details of
Sworlipi, sketch (Naksa) map (Manchitra) etc. published in different
languages in a book form or in parts as a printed or lithoed material.
(b) "Editor" means the person who selects or controls the articles
(matters) to be published in the press.
(c) "Authority" means an incumbent judicial or administrative officer
(in the case of Mofasal, Chief of Police and Chief of Gaudagadi and
Gowashara.)
(d) "Print Newspaper" (Chhapakhabar) means news, criticism
(Samalochanpatrika) and cartoon published from time to time.

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Part 2
Regarding Press and Newspaper
Matters to be in the Print (Chhapa) and Newspaper
4. The name of printers and place of printing shall be printed clearly in the
book or newspaper printed within Nepal. In case those books or newspapers
are to be circulated (Prachar) the name and address of the publisher and
place of publication shall also be mentioned.

Application to be submitted by a person who intends (Manasuba)

to keep a printing press
5. Whosoever, intends to keep a printing press to print books or newspapers in
Nepal shall submit an application before the Local Authority upon
mentioning the address of the Press; and along with the details that,
Mr./Ms/Mrs..................is going to establish a press in such and such place
and shall have also to receive a license for the same.

Procedure to be followed to print a Newspaper

6. No one shall print and publish any Newspaper in Nepal without following
the procedures as mentioned hereunder:
(a) Name and address shall be clearly printed in the specified place of
each Newspaper.
(b) An approval shall be received upon submitting Two copies of
applications with the details of full address of press or place of the
publication, name of the newspaper, publisher and printer from the
Local Authority, approaching in person by the publisher and printer
who intends to print or publish periodic newspaper (Samayak
Patrapatrika) or journal/magazine (Patra Patrika).

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(c) Application shall be filed and approval shall be taken as referred to

in foregoing Sections, in a case the printer, publisher or owner of the
press is being changed or house is going to be shifted or the name of
the Newspaper has to be changed, or press has to be shifted, or one
has to be appointed as an acting (Kayammukayam) instead of any
person or in a case a new appointment has to be made.

Authentication (Sadar) of Documents

7. The Local Authority, upon receiving Two copies of original applications,
pursuant to Sections 5 and 6, shall put signature and fix office seal on it and
retain a copy of it in the office and forward the next copy to the Ministry of
Home Affairs to retain there; and issue a letter of approval (Ijajat Purji) to
the applicant upon putting signature and fixing seal on it. Everyone shall be
entitled to see the original application upon paying Two Rupees and get a
copy of the same upon paying Rupees Five.

Application and license may be accepted as an evidence

8. If a bona fide copy of an application as mentioned in different Sections of
this Act is produced, it shall be accepted as an evidence to identify the
printer and publisher in any criminal or civil case.

Rules to be followed in the course of Resignation

by the Printers and Publishers
9. The printer or publisher, who wants to separate him/herself from the job,
after receiving approval upon filing a bona fide application, shall submit
Two copies of resignation letters before the Local Authority in which one
has to mention the date, name of the paper, and post from which he/she has
resigned. The Authority shall put signature and fix seal of the office in

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those applications and keep or cause to keep them with the application filed
in the beginning; and issue letter of approval as required, to the applicant
upon putting signature and fixing seal on it. Everyone is entitled to see the
original copy of the application upon paying Two Rupees and receive a
copy of it upon paying Rupees Five.

Duty to perform if someone's name is published in a paper etc.

even though one is not an Editor, Publisher or Printer
10. In a case, if someone's name has been published as an editor, publisher or
printer who in fact is not involved in such function; such a person shall file
a complaint before the Local Authority upon mentioning the newspaper,
date and the post printed in the paper within Twenty One day of its
knowledge. If such a complaint is filed, the Local Authority shall inquire or
cause to inquire the matter, and issue a certificate for the same if the
complaint is proved. The Authority may extend the time limit to file a
complaint in case someone fails to file a complaint due to reasonable
reasons.

Part-3
Regarding Submission of a Book
Printed Books should be submitted
11. Hereinafter, the printer of a book, either printed or lithoed, including the
sketches and maps (Naksa Chitra) published within Nepal shall,
whatsoever may have been agreed with the publisher, submit Two copies
each to the Ministry of Home Affairs, free of cost, before their circulation
and receive a receipt thereof. Such books shall be printed in the quality
paper as good as other books and shall also have good cover page (Jilla
Banda). For this purpose the publisher shall handover maps, Chhapa and
pictures etc. required for such books to the press in time. If government

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requires One or Two copies within One year of publication, the printer shall
submit such copies, free of cost and within One month, as government so
orders.
(a) If a book is published in second or more other editions, and if the
content or sketches or maps (Naksa Chitra) are changed or altered,
copies of such books shall be submitted as referred to hereinabove;
and if no changes or alterations are made it shall not be required to
submit such copies.
(b) In a case of publishing a Newspaper as referred to in Section 6 of
this Act, this Section shall not be applicable.
(c) Except in a case of political pamphlets, this Section shall not be
applicable in relations to other types of pamphlets.

Submission of Newspaper
12. The publisher (Chhapne) who publishes Newspaper in Nepal shall submit
Two copies of such newspaper before the Local Authority free of cost. The
Local Authority upon receiving such newspapers, shall retain a copy of it in
the office and send the next copy to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Part-4
Penalties
Penalties to the Printers and Publishers for illegal publication of
the Paper (Chhapa) or Books
13. The printer and publisher who prints or publishes any book, newspaper or
paper (Chhapa), in violation of Section 4 of this Act, he/she shall be liable
for a fine upto Two Thousand Rupees or an imprisonment upto Six months
or both the fine and imprisonment.

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14. If someone keeps a printing press without receiving a license, he/she shall
be liable for a fine upto Two Thousand Rupees or an imprisonment upto
Six months or the both, if so proved.
15. If someone knowingly conceals any facts or states any false facts (Fareb)
while submitting an application so required pursuant to this Act, he/she
shall be liable for a fine upto Two Thousand Rupees or an imprisonment
upto Six months, if found guilty (Kasurdar).

Penalties to the Editor or Publisher of a Newspaper

for an illegal act (Berit)
16. In case, someone edits, prints or publishes any newspaper not abiding by
the provisions as referred to in the foregoing Sections or knowingly edits,
prints or publishes or causes to do so in contravention of the Act; such a
person shall be liable for a fine upto Two Thousand Rupees or an
imprisonment upto Six months or the both, if so proved.

Penalties to the Press and/or Publisher

for not submitting the books
17. In case the publisher (Chhapne) of the books does not submit the required
copies of books as referred to in Section 11, the authority, so authorised,
shall impose such person a fine upto Fifty Rupees in his/her discretion for
each time and shall also fine an additional amount covering the cost of
books required to be so submitted. In case, if the publisher does not supply
the print, sketch or map (Chhapa, Naksa, Chitra) in time to the printer to
meet the conditions as referred to in the same Section, the Authority shall
fine in his/her discretion Rupees Fifty to the publisher each time and an
additional fine shall also be imposed upto the cost of the sketch or map. In a
case, if somebody commits a crime as referred to in this Section knowingly

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or negligently he/she shall be liable for a fine of One Hundred Rupees or an

imprisonment upto Three months on the discretion of the Authority.

Penalties for not submitting Newspaper

18. If a publisher (Chhpane) of a Newspaper, which is published in Nepal, does
not submit the Newspaper to be submitted as referred to in Section 12,
he/she shall be liable for a fine upto Fifty Rupees for each time, if so
proved.

Part-5
Registry of the Books
Keeping of an Inventory of the Books
19. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall send a copy of each book published in
Nepal and received in the Ministry pursuant to Section 11 of this Act to the
Nepali Bahsa Prakashan Samiti (Nepali Language Publishing Board) to
enter into the inventory so maintained. The Chief of the Board shall
maintain an inventory (Bahi) upon mentioning the following details and
publish it in Nepal Gazette in every Three months:
(a) Name of the book or Mukhpatra with the content, in Nepali
language if the title page is in Nepali Language and if it is in other
languages translated version in Nepali language,
(b) Language of the book,
(c) Name of the writer, author, translator or editor of the collection
(Sangraha) or Part (Bhag) of it,
(d) Subject,
(e) Address of the printing press and place of publication,
(f) Name of the Printing and Publishing Agency,
(g) Date of printing or publication,
(h) Pages,

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(i) Size,
(j) Edition,
(k) Number of books printed in particular edition,
(l) Whether printed or lithoed,
(m) Price of each copy,
(n) Name and address of the owner of the Copyright.
Chapter-6
Miscellaneous
Power of Government to frame (Ain) Act
20. The Government of Nepal may amend or alter (Adal-badal, Thap-Ghat)
any Section of this Act if so required. Such an amendment or alteration
shall be published in the Nepal Gazette.
21. The Government of Nepal, upon publishing a Notification in the Nepal
Gazette, may refrain from applying this Act or any Section of this Act to
the particular types of Books or Newspapers.

Confiscation of Objectionable (Aapattijanak)

Book-booklet or Pamphlet
22. The Book-booklet, pamphlet etc. objectionable from the stand point of the
National Interest shall be confiscated on the discretion of the Government.

To be followed by the running Printing Press, Newspapers,

Printers (Mudrak) or Publishers after the
Commencement of this Act
23. The printing press, newspapers, publishers and printers running before the
commencement of this Act shall submit an application before the local
Authority, within Thirty Five days of such commencement, as referred to in

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different Sections of this Act and receive a license (Ijajat) for the same.
Any violation of this Act, in this regard, shall be punishable as referred to
in the Act.

To be followed This Act and Muluki Ain (General Code)

24. The matters provided for in this Act shall be dealt accordingly and in other
matters it shall be dealt as referred to in Muluki Ain (General Code).
25. After the commencement of this Act, Press and Publication Act, 2005
(Baisakh, 2) is, hereby, repealed.

Date of Authentication (Royal Seal)

(Thursday, Baisakh 26, 2009 B.S.)

Note:
The Amendments of Wednesday 14th Jestha, 2010 B.S. are not included in this
document.

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