The Vernacular Press Act:

▪️The Vernacular Press Act was passed in 1878 under the Viceroyalty of Lord Lytton. 

▪️It was directed only against Indian language newspapers. 

▪️The purpose of the Act was to control the printing and circulation of seditious materials producing disaffection amongst the masses against the British.

▪️The Vernacular Press Act empowered the district magistrate to call upon the printer and publisher of any vernacular newspaper to enter into a bond with the government. 

▪️The magistrate could further require a publisher to deposit security and to forfeit it if the newspaper contravened the regulation. 

▪️If the offence reoccurred, the press equipment could be seized. The magistrate’s action was final and no appeal could be made in a court of law. 

▪️A vernacular newspaper could get exemption from the operation of the Act by submitting proofs to a government censor.

▪️Under the Vernacular Press Act, proceedings were instituted against Som Prakash, Bharat, Mihir, Dacca Prakash and Samachar.