The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was a law imposed by the British. Read all about Vernacular Press Act , Introduction, History, Provision & Impact for UPSC Exam preparation. The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was a repressive law imposed by the British colonial government in India. It aimed to control the Indian-language newspapers that were critical of British policies and promoted nationalist sentiments. Under this Act , the authorities could censor, confiscate, and even shut down newspapers without due process. In British India, the Vernacular Press Act (1878), modelled on the Irish Press Laws, was enacted to curtail the freedom of the Indian press and prevent the expression of criticism toward British policies—notably, the opposition that had grown with the outset of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80). [1]
