An Act to protect the publication, of reports of proceedings of the Himachal Pradesh State Legislature.
Be it concted by the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh in the Twenty-eighth Year of the Republic of India as follows:
(1) This Act may be called the Himachal Pradesh State Legislature Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act, 1977.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
In this Act newspapers mean any printed periodical work containing public news or comments on public news, and includes a news agency supplying, material for publication in a newspaper.
(1) Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2), no person shall be liable to any proceedings, civil, or criminal, in any court in respect of the publication in a newspaper of a substantially true report of any proceedings of the Himachal Pradesh State Legislature, unless the publication is proved to have been made, with malice.
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be construed as protecting the publication of any matter, the publication of which is not for the public good.
The Act shall apply in relation to reports or matters broadcast by means of wireless telegraphy as part of any programme or service provided by means of a broadcasting station as it applied in relation to reports or matters published in a newspaper.
1. For Statement of Objects and Reasons see R.H.P. Extra., dt. 31-12-1917, P. 1206.
2. Received the assent of the Governor of Himachal Pradesh on the 7th February, 1978 and was published in R.H.P. Extra., dated the 13th February, 1978, P. 83