'Manual of Instructions to Officers of the Political Department of the Government of India' [‎34r] (82/478)

ADDENDA TO “ MANUAL OF INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICERS OF THE
POLITICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA*
1924”.
No. 55.
1. Page 26.—The following shall be added as paragraph 25-A. :
*t 25 .A. Radio Broadcasting in Indian, Stales .—The following principles
shall be observed in regard to radio broadcasting in Indian States
1 Indian States are entitled to grant their own Broadcast Receiver
licenses witnin their re&pective territories. It is, however, de
sirable that the procedure and conditions applicable to Biuish
India should be observed with such modincations as may be
found necessary.
2 The annual fee to be charged for a Broadcast Receiver license
should be the same in Indian States as in British India ; the
present rate in British India is Rs. 10 per license.
3 Each State should collect the broadcasting receiver license fees for
stations within its own territory aud would have no claim to a
share of similar license fees for stations outside its own territory,
but the collecting authority would of course be free to pay
any share of the fees collected to any broadcasting agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ,
whether inside or outside its territory, wuich dues in tact pro
vide a broadcasting service to stations witnin that territory.
4 Indian States should bo free to establish broadcast transmitting
stations within their respective territories but for the reasons
explained in the Resolution of the Government of India in tne
Foreign and Political Department, No. 4y6-i., dated the 27th
May i920, the Government of India should hist be consulted
and the provisions contained in that Resolution should be
observed.
5 The Government of India invite Darbars alike in the interests of the
Empire and their own interests to introduce such general piin*
ciples oi censorship as may from time to time be imposed in British
India. At present in British India nothing can bo broadcasted
which offends against public morals or is of seditious tendency
or is likely to arouse racial, religious or communal animosity, or
contains statements on topics of political or industrial contro
versy. Instructions have been issued to the autnorities con
cerned with censorship in British India to the effect that the
term *' seditious ” is to be understood as including matter
offending against States in India.
6 With regard to the importation of Radio-apparatus through the
port of an Indian State, the Government of India would be
clad if the Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). concerned would levy customs duty tnereon
at rates not lower than those in force at ports in British
India. It is also considered desirable that persons wishing to
import wireless apparatus into an Indian State should be re
quired by the Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). concerned to enter into an undertaking
tnat the apparatus thus imported will not be taken into Bausn
India except under license from the Government oi India.
2
7. The abovementioned principles will be liable to mutual revision in
the light of subsequent experience.”
(File No. 178 R/30.)