Amendments to Indian Cinematograph Act, 1952

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has released the draft amendment bill to amend the Indian Cinematograph Act, 1952. The amendments are brought in counter the film piracy.

Amendments proposed

The features of the amendment bill are:

• To check piracy, particularly release of the pirated version of films on the internet which causes huge losses to the film industry and government exchequer, an enabling provision in the Cinematograph Act, 1952 would be added.
• The amendment bill aims to add a new sub-section (4) of section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
• Under the amendment bill, the piracy would be a punishable offence with imprisonment of three years and fines of up to Rs 10 lakh or both.
• The punishment is prescribed those, who use any recording device to make or transmit a copy of the visual recording or sound recording of a film or attempts to make or transmit, or abet the making or transmission of such a copy without the written authorisation of the copyright owner.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has invited the Comments on the draft Cinematograph Act (Amendment) Bill.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2019