I&B Ministry invites comments on Draft Cinematograph Act (Amendment) Bill

The Cinematograph Act, 1952 can be accessed here or under the Acts & Rules section under the Documents tab on the I&B Ministry website.

In order to check film piracy, particularly release of a pirated version of films on the internet which causes huge losses to the film industry and government exchequer, Ministry of I&B intends to have an enabling provision in the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Penalties for contravention of provisions for certification of films for public exhibition are given under Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. I&B Ministry proposes for the introduction of the Cinematograph Act (Amendment) Bill for the inclusion of a new Sub-Section (4) of Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 with the following text:

“Notwithstanding any law for the time being in force including any provision of the Copyright Act, 1957, any person who, during the exhibition of an audiovisual work, cinematographic in an exhibition facility used to exhibit cinematograph films or audiovisual recordings and without the written authorization of the copyright owner, uses an audiovisual recording device to knowingly make or transmit or attempt to make or transmit or abet the making or transmission of a copy or visual recording or sound recording embodying a cinematograph film or audiovisual recording or any part thereof or a copy of sound recording accompanying such cinematograph film or audiovisual recording or any part thereof during subsistence of copyright in such cinematograph film or sound recording, shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding three years and shall also be liable to fine not exceeding Rs.10 Lakhs, or to a term of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both.”

The Cinematograph Act, 1952 can be accessed here or under the Acts & Rules section under the Documents tab on the I&B Ministry website.

Comments on the Draft Cinematograph Act (Amendment) Bill may be given by 14th January 2019. The comments can either be emailed to jsfilms.inb@nic.in or sent by post to:

Joint Secretary (Films)

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Room No. 545, ‘A’ Wing, Shastri Bhawan

Dr Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi – 110001

(With Inputs from PIB)