The Bombay Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Act, 1955.

1955 : Bom. XVIII]   1 
THE BOMBAY JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS  
(REGULATION OF REPORTS) ACT, 1955 
[Text as on 24th October 2025] 
————— 
CONTENTS 
PREAMBLE. 
SECTIONS. 
 1.  Short title, extent and commencement.  
 2.  Definitions.  
 3.  Restrictions on publication of reports of judicial proceedings.  
 4.  Penalty.  
 5.  Jurisdiction to try offences.  
 6.  Previous sanction.  
 7.  Forfeiture and seizure of newspaper, etc., under section 99A of Criminal Procedure Code.  
 8.  Operation of other laws.   
  SCHEDULE        
   
2  The Bombay Judicial Proceedings [1955 : Bom. XVIII 
(Regulation of Reports) Act, 1955 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1955 : Bom. XVIII] The Bombay Judicial Proceedings  3 
  (Regulation of Reports) Act, 1955 
 
BOMBAY ACT No. XVIII OF 19551 
[THE BOMBAY JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS (REGULATION OF REPORTS) ACT, 1955.]  
[This Act received the assent of the President on the 30th April 1955; assent was first published in the 
Bombay Government Gazette, Extraordinary No. 18, Part IV, on the 6th May 1955.] 
An Act to regulate the publication of reports of judicial proceedings. 
WHEREAS it is necessary to regulate the publication of reports of judicial proceedings, so as 
to prevent the publication of obscene or indecent matter and other matters, the publication of which 
will not be in the public interest: It is hereby enacted in t he Sixth Year of the Republic of India, as 
follows :—  
1.  Short title, extent and commencement. — (1) This Act may be called the Bombay Judicial 
Proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Act, 1955.  
(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Bombay.  
(3) It shall come into force on such 2date as  the State Government by notification in the  
Official Gazette appoints.  
2.  Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires :—  
(a) “book” includes every volume, part or division of a volume, pamphlet and leaflet, in any 
language and every sheet of music, map, chart or plan separately printed or lithographed or 
otherwise mechanically produced;  
(b) “document” includes any painting, drawing or photograph or other visible representation;  
(c) “judicial proceedings ” includes any proceeding in the course of which evidence is or 
may be legally taken on oath;  
(d) “matrimonial matter ” means any proceedings for dissolution or nullity of marriage, o r 
for judicial separation, or for restitution of conjugal rights;  
(e) “newspaper” means any periodical work containing public news or comments on public 
news.  
3.  Restrictions on publication of reports of judicial proceedings. — No person shall print or 
publish or cause to be printed or published,—  
(a) in respect of any judicial proceedings, any indecent or obscene matter, or any indecent or 
obscene details whether medical, surgical or physiological, which would be calculated to injure 
the public morals;  
(b) in respect of any matrimonial matter or any judicial proceedings in connection with the 
offence under section 497 of the Indian Penal Code (XLV of 1860), any particulars other than the 
following, that is to say :—  
(1) the names of the parties; and  
(2) the order of the Court; 
(c) in respect of any judicial proceedings in connection with an offence under sections 354, 
366, 366A, 366B, 376, 377 or 498 of the Indian Penal Code  (XLV of 1860), any particulars other 
than the following, that is to say :—  
(1) the name, occupation and address of the accused; and  
                                                   
1  For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Bombay Government Gazette, 1955, Part V, P. 3. 
2  This Act came into force w.e.f. 4th October 1956, vide G.N., H.D. (Poll.), No. BAP. 6954/19347 -Poll., dated 28 th 
September 1956, B.G.G. Part-IV-B, page.1207. 
4  The Bombay Judicial Proceedings [1955 : Bom. XVIII 
(Regulation of Reports) Act, 1955 
 
(2) the order of the Court, without disclosing the identity of, or giving any particulars 
calculated to lead to the identification of, any person who may ha ve been a victim of the 
offence:  
Provided t hat nothing in this section shall apply to the printing of any pleading, transcript of 
evidence or other document for use in connection with any judicial proceedings or the communication 
thereof to persons concerned in the proceedings or to the printing or  publishing of any notice or report 
in pursuance of the directions of the Court or to the printing or publishing of any matter in a separate 
volume or part of any bona fide series of law reports or in any publication of a technical character  
bona fide intended for circulation among members of the legal or medical professions.  
4.  Penalty.— Whoever contravenes the provisions of this Act shall, on conviction, be punished 
with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may ext end to one 
thousand rupees, or with both; and any newspaper, book or document (including all copies thereof) in 
respect of which an offence has been committed shall also  be liable to be forfeited to the S tate 
Government.  
5.  Jurisdiction to try offences. — No Court inferior to that of the Presidency Magistrate or a 
Magistrate of the first class shall try any offence under this Act.  
6.  Previous sanction.— No court shall take cognisance of an offence under this Act except with 
the previous sanction of the State Government.  
7.  Forfeiture and seizure of newspaper, etc., under section 99A of Criminal Procedure 
Code.— The p rovisions of section 99A of t he 1Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898) , are 
hereby amended as specified in the Schedule to this Act and the provisions of the said section as 
amended shall, notwithstanding anything contained in section 4, apply in respect of any newspaper, 
book or document, which appears to the State Government to contain any matter in contravention of 
the provisions of this Act.  
8.  Operation of other laws. — Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to prevent any person 
from being prosecuted under any other law for any act which is an offence under this Act.  
SCHEDULE 
(See section 7.) 
In section 99A of the 2Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898), after the words “appears to 
the State Government to contain” the words “ in respect of any judicial proceedings any indecent or 
obscene matter or any indecent or obscene details, whether medical, surgical or physiological, which 
would be calculated to injure the public morals, or” shall be inserted. 
                                                   
1  Now see the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (II of 1974). 
2  Now see the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (II of 1974). 

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