RNI registration: Documents required for Renewal application

Suppose your publication is registered under the RNI. But the expiry of the RNI registration of your publication is coming close. In that case, you must apply for the revised RNI registration application. Since there is a lot of confusion regarding the procedure of renewal application for RNI registration, so we have, for your sake, discussed the required documentation that must be furnished and submitted to the RNI by the publication seeking license renewal.

Documents required for RNI revised registration

Certificate of Registration

The applicant must arrange for the original Certificate of Registration (CoR) issued by the online RNI registration. In case the original certificate is lost or misplaced. Then the applicant must submit a notarized affidavit for the loss of the original certificate along with an IPO of five rupees.

New Declaration for Revised Application

The publisher must file a New Declaration in the Form-1 specifying the clear reason(s) for filing the same in the relevant column. The declaration must be duly authenticated by one of the following who has the required jurisdiction:

• District Magistrate
• District Collector
• Sub-Divisional Magistrate
• Joint Commissioner of Police
• CMM

The printer must also file a separate declaration in case the printer is not the publisher.

Agreement between Publisher and Press

The owner of the periodical and the keeper of the printing press must enter into a written agreement for printing the periodical. The agreement must bear both parties' signatures or designation of both the parties.

If the printing press's keeper and the periodical's owner are the same people, then they must submit no such agreement.

Publication Issue

The publisher must bring a copy of the issue immediately after authentication of declaration or whichever is the latest. Also, the publisher must observe the following:

• The publisher must ensure that the issue has volume and issue numbers prominently printed on its front cover or page.
• The publisher must ensure that the issue carries a printed title, retail selling price (for priced publication), page numbers, and date, month, and year of publication.
• The publisher must ensure that the title or the masthead is displayed in uniform font and letter size. The maximum percentage of the allowed variation, if any, must not exceed 25%.
• The publisher must ensure that the published newspaper or periodical only contains public news, views, or comments.
• The publisher must publish the newspaper or periodical only in the language(s) verified by the RNI.
• The publisher must avoid using symbols, graphics, emoticons, etc., in place of a syllable or letter.
• The publisher must ensure that the imprint line in every published issue carries correct or complete information in the specified format. The publisher must print the imprint line in either English or Hindi, in the case of a periodical published in a regional or vernacular language.
• The publisher must use only the term 'Editor.' The publisher must avoid other terms or nomenclatures like Editor-in-Chief, Chief Editor, Sub Editor, Resident Editor, etc. in the imprint line.

Change of Ownership

Demise of the original Publisher

In such a case, the nominee or the publication management must submit the following documents:

• A copy of the death certificate of the deceased owner.
• A copy of the family member's certificate issued by the office of the Tehsildar or any equivalent authority.
• A No Objection cum Transfer of Ownership affidavit duly executed before the authority, bearing signatures of all the surviving legal heirs of the deceased owner. The date of the declaration must not precede the date of transfer of ownership.

From an Individual to another Individual or Entity

In such cases, the publication must submit a copy of the Transfer Ownership affidavit duly executed before the authority. The date of the declaration must not precede the date of Transfer of Ownership.

From a Firm or Entity to an Individual

In such cases, the publication must submit a copy of the transfer of ownership affidavit duly executed before the District Magistrate concerned by the authorized signatory of the firm or the entity. The date of the declaration must not precede the date of transfer of ownership.

Change or Amalgamation in the name (s) of a registered Firm

In such cases, the publication must submit a copy of the following:

• Court's order or decree, duly attested
• Certificate of Incorporation for change of name, issued by Registrar of companies of the State. The date of the declaration must not precede the date of Incorporation of the name.

Multiple Editions Of The Same Title

The publication must submit a copy of the Transfer of Ownership affidavit duly executed before the District Magistrate. The publisher must execute the transfer of ownership affidavit for each edition separately before the respective District Magistrate under whose jurisdiction the press prints the newspaper or periodical. The publisher must submit the application for revised rni registration in such cases in RNI simultaneously for all editions. The date of the declaration must not precede the date of transfer of ownership.

Author: Dushyant Sharma

Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.