Security for good behaviour from persons disseminating seditious matters.

(1) When an Executive Magistrate receives information that there is within his local jurisdiction any person who, within or without such jurisdiction,—

(i) either orally or in writing or in any other manner, intentionally disseminates or attempts to disseminate or abets the dissemination of,—

(a) any matter the publication of which is punishable under section 150 or section 194 or section 195 or section 297 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, or

(b) any matter concerning a Judge acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duties which amounts to criminal intimidation or defamation under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,

(ii) makes, produces, publishes or keeps for sale, imports, exports, conveys, sells, lets to hire, distributes, publicly exhibits or in any other manner puts into circulation any obscene matter such as is referred to in section 292 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Magistrate is of opinion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding, the Magistrate may, in the manner hereinafter provided, require such person to show cause why he should not be ordered to execute a bond, with or without sureties, for his good behaviour for such period, not exceeding one year, as the Magistrate thinks fit.

(2) No proceedings shall be taken under this section against the editor, proprietor, printer or publisher of any publication registered under, and edited, printed and published in conformity with, the rules laid down in the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 with reference to any matter contained in such publication except by the order or under the authority of the State Government or some officer empowered by the State Government in this behalf.