Today
(February
12,
2019)
the
government
introduced
a
bill
in
Rajya
Sabha
to
amend
the
Cinematograph
Act
and
impose
strict
penalty
to
combat
the
menace
of
film
piracy.
Minister
of
State
for
Information
and
Broadcasting
Rajyavardhan
Rathore
introduced
the
Cinematograph
(Amendment)
Bill,
2019
in
the
Upper
House.
The
Bill
seeks
to
amend
provisions
of
Cinematograph
Act,
1952,
in
order
to
tackle
film
piracy
by
including
penal
provisions
for
unauthorised
camcording
and
duplication
of
films.
To
check
piracy,
particularly
the
release
of
pirated
versions
of
films
on
the
internet
which
causes
huge
losses
to
the
film
industry
and
the
exchequer,
the
bill
proposes
to
make
film
piracy
offences
punishable
with
imprisonment
of
up
to
three
years
and
fines
that
may
extend
to
Rs
10
lakh
or
both.
The
proposed
amendment
states
that
any
person,
who
without
the
written
authorisation
of
the
copyright
owner,
uses
any
recording
device
to
make
or
transmit
a
copy
of
a
film,
or
attempts
to
do
so,
or
abet
the
making
or
transmission
of
such
a
copy,
will
be
liable
for
such
a
punishment.
The
Cabinet
last
week
had
approved
the
Ministry
of
Information
and
Broadcasting's
proposal
for
introducing
the
bill.
The
proposed
amendments
would
increase
industry
revenues,
boost
job
creation,
fulfil
important
objectives
of
India's
National
Intellectual
Property
policy
and
will
give
relief
against
piracy
and
infringing
content
online,
an
official
statement
had
said.
The
film
industry
has
been
demanding
for
a
long
time
that
the
government
consider
amendments
to
the
law
preventing
camcording
and
piracy.
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
had
made
an
announcement
at
the
inaugural
function
of
the
National
Museum
of
Indian
Cinema
at
Mumbai
on
January
19,
2019,
to
tackle
the
menace
of
camcording
and
piracy.