The Vernacular Press Act was enacted in British India in 1878 to restrict the Indian-language press and suppress criticism of British rule. Proposed by Viceroy Lord Lytton, it was intended to curb newspapers that had become increasingly critical of colonial policies while exempting English-language publications. Under the act, the authorities could seize, close down, and censor newspapers at will. It elicited strong and sustained protests from a wide spectrum of the Indian populace. The law was repealed in 1881 by Lytton’s successor as viceroy, Lord Ripon.
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