 bill no 44 of 2008 the delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries) amendment bill, 2008 by shri mohan singh, mp a billfurther to amend the delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries) act, 1954be it enacted by parliament in the fifty-ninth year of the republic of india as follows:—short title1  this act may be called the delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries)amendment act, 200827 of 19545amendment of section 22 in section 2 of the delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries) act, 1954(hereinafter referred to as the principal act), for clause (b), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:—3 in section 5 of the principal act,—amendment of section 5(i) for the words ''fifty rupees'', the words ''five thousand rupees'' shall be substituted; and5(ii) for the words ''equivalent to the value of the book'', the words ''five thousand rupees or hundred times the value of the book, whichever is more,'' shall be substitutedamendment of section 64 for section 6, sub-section (1) of the principal act, after the words ''special order'', the words ''or by any user of the public library'' shall be added sstatement of objects and reasonsthe delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries) act, 1954 (act no 27 of1954) makes it mandatory for the publishers of books and newspapers to deliver books and newspapers etc free of cost at their own expense to the public libraries as defined therein in case any publisher fails to do so, he shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to rupees fifty only and if the contravention is in respect of a book, he shall also be punishable with fine equivalent to the value of the book due to escalation of prices of books, the amount of fine prescribed in the act has become meagre and, therefore, the publishers tend to ignore the provisions of this act and opt for paying fine rather than complying with the provisions of the act it is, therefore, proposed to enhance the maximum amount of penalty from existing rupees fifty to rupees five thousand and in case of delivery of books equivalent to hundred times the value of books, whichever is more the enhanced penalty will ensure compliance of the law intended to extend  financial support out of commercial establishments earnings in discharge of the social obligation, thereby enabling the libraries of national importance to acquire books etc without straining their own limited resourcesthe existing provision in section 6 of the act about courts taking cognizance of the offence only on complaint filed by an officer so empowered by the central government has not been taken recourse to therefore, it is proposed to extend the right to make a complaint to any user of the public library to make the act more effectivemoreover, the parliament library at new delhi is a very important library catering to the needs of public representatives and public at large, it may also be included as a public library within the definition of ''public libraries'' in the act mentioned above so that it could be enriched further annexure extract from the delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries) act, 1954|             ||--------------|| definitions |2  in this act, unless the context otherwise requires,—| (a)    |     |     |     |     ||--------|------|------|------|------|| (aa)  |     |     |     |     |(b) "public libraries" means the national library at calcutta and any three other libraries which may be specified by the central government in this behalf by notification in the official gazette|                                                                                             |     |     |     |    ||----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------|------|------|-----|| penalty                                                                                     |      |      |      |     || 5                                                                                           |      |      |      |     || any publisher who contravenes any provision of this act or of any rule made                  |      |      |      |     || there under shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty rupees and, if the       |      |      |      |     || contravention is in respect of a book, shall also be punishable with fine which shall be     |      |      |      |     || equivalent to the value of the book, and the court trying the offence may direct that the    |      |      |      |     || whole or any part of the fine realised from him shall be paid, by way of compensation to the |      |      |      |     || public library to which the book or newspaper as the case may be, ought to have been         |      |      |      |     || delivered                                                                                   |      |      |      |     || cognizance of                                                                                |      |      |      |     || offences                                                                                    |      |      |      |     || 6                                                                                           |      |      |      |     || (1) no court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this act save on          |      |      |      |     || complaint made by an officer empowered in this behalf by the central government by a         |      |      |      |     || general or special order                                                                    |      |      |      |     ||                                                                                             |     |     |     |    | a billfurther to amend the delivery of books and newspapers (public libraries) act, 1954(shri mohan singh, mp)gmgipmrnd—2332ls(s4)—15-07-2008