The West Bengal Legislative Assembly Proceedings ( Protection Of Publication ) Act, 1978

1. (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Proceedings (Protection of Publication ) Act, 1978. (2) It extends to the whole of West Bengal. (3) It shall come into force at once.

2. In this Act, “newspaper” means any printed periodical work containing public news or comments on public news and includes news-agency supplying material for publication in a newspaper.

3. (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 publication in a newspaper of a substantially true report of any proceedings of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, 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 which is not for the public good.

4. The Act shall also 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 applies in relation to reports or matters published in a newspaper.