Charles Metcalfe (Acting Governor-General, 1835–1836)

• In 1835, Metcalfe introduced the Press Act, also known as the Metcalfe Act.
• A major step was the repeal of the 1823 Licensing Regulations, which had effectively enabled pre-censorship by making it illegal to run a press without government permission.
• Because he removed these restrictive licensing controls, Metcalfe came to be remembered as the “liberator of the Indian press.”

Impact

• This liberal press policy contributed to the rapid growth of newspapers and strengthened public debate and political awareness.

Key Provision (as per the Press Act, 1835)

• Under the Act, the publisher had to pay a certain fee for bringing out publications.
• A publication could be forced to stop functioning if required through an official declaration/order.