Publications may lose registration if they carry paid news, according to the draft of a bill prepared by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
The draft of the Press and Registration of Books and Publications Bill, 2013 also seeks to define what constitutes paid news.
As per the definition, which the draft proposes, "Paid news means publishing any news or analysis in the publication for a price in cash or kind as consideration."
The draft also lays down the course of action that would be taken in case a publication is found to have indulged in the practice of paid news.
It says that if a publication is found guilty of paid news the declaration made by it under the provisions of the act would be cancelled as well as the registration certificate issued by Press Registrar General.
Another important amendment that the ministry has proposed in the draft bill suggests that the definition of newspapers should be expanded to include its web editions also.
