Abolition of Censorship – Lord Hastings

The abolition of press censorship during the tenure of Lord Hastings (1813–1823) marked a significant milestone in the evolution of political freedom and public communication in colonial India. By withdrawing the rigid restrictions imposed on the press, Lord Hastings initiated a period of greater intellectual openness and exchange of ideas within the British Indian Empire. His decision reflected liberal influences from Britain and his belief that a more informed and expressive society would serve the interests of good governance rather than undermine them.

Background: The State of the Press Before Hastings

The freedom of the press in India had been severely restricted before Lord Hastings assumed office as Governor-General in 1813. The East India Company, primarily a commercial and administrative organisation, viewed the press as a potential threat to its authority and image, especially in the politically volatile environment of early nineteenth-century India.
Censorship was formally introduced in 1799 by Lord Wellesley, who was concerned that the publication of sensitive information might endanger British interests during the Napoleonic Wars and the associated political instability in Europe and Asia. His regulations required all newspapers and periodicals in British India to:

• Submit manuscripts to the government for pre-publication approval.
• Obtain a license from the government to operate.
• Avoid criticism of British policy, the Company’s administration, or European rulers.

The rules applied to both European-owned and Indian-owned publications and effectively stifled political discussion.
Subsequent administrators, including Lord Minto and Lord Cornwallis, continued these controls, seeing them as essential to maintain the stability of British rule. Thus, when Lord Hastings arrived in India in 1813, censorship had become a routine administrative tool of control.

Lord Hastings’ Liberal Outlook

Lord Hastings was deeply influenced by the liberal and reformist currents in early nineteenth-century Britain. A product of the Age of Enlightenment, he valued freedom of expression and believed that the free exchange of ideas contributed to enlightened governance.
He maintained that truthful criticism of the government could help correct administrative errors and prevent abuses of power. Furthermore, he saw the growing European population in India and the emergence of an educated class of Indians as creating a need for more transparent and responsible communication.
His administration marked a transition from the authoritarianism of early Company rule to a more modern style of governance that recognised the role of public opinion.

Abolition of Censorship in 1818

In 1818, Lord Hastings took the historic step of abolishing the system of pre-censorship that had been in force since Wellesley’s time. Under the new arrangement:

• Editors no longer needed to submit material for pre-approval before publication.
• Newspapers could criticise administrative actions, provided they did not incite rebellion or insult religion.
• The government reserved the right to prosecute seditious writings under general law but not to suppress them pre-emptively.

This policy change applied primarily to English-language newspapers, which were the main organs of the colonial European community, though it indirectly benefited emerging Indian publications as well.
The decision was based on Hastings’ conviction that responsible journalism could serve as a “mirror of governance”, reflecting both the achievements and failings of the administration.

Consequences and Impact

The abolition of censorship under Lord Hastings had several far-reaching consequences:

1. Growth of the Press: The number of newspapers and periodicals in India increased significantly after 1818. Publications such as The Calcutta Journal, The Bombay Gazette, and The Madras Courier became prominent voices of the European community in India.
2. Emergence of Indian Journalism: Although still limited, the liberal atmosphere created by Hastings encouraged the early growth of Indian-owned newspapers. Notably, Raja Rammohan Roy launched Sambad Kaumudi (Bengali) in 1821 and Mirat-ul-Akhbar (Persian) in 1822, both of which advocated social reform and rational governance.
3. Rise of Public Opinion: For the first time, government policies became subject to public discussion. The press began to function as an informal check on administrative excesses, gradually laying the foundation for a public sphere in colonial India.
4. European Journalists and Political Debate: Editors such as James Silk Buckingham, founder of The Calcutta Journal, openly criticised Company policies. Buckingham argued that the press should act as an instrument of accountability, a view that resonated with the liberal spirit of Hastings’ reforms.

Conflict with the Company’s Officials

While Hastings himself supported freedom of the press, not all members of the East India Company’s administration shared his liberal outlook. The unrestrained criticism of Company officials in newspapers soon provoked resentment within the bureaucracy.
A turning point came when James Silk Buckingham’s Calcutta Journal began publishing sharp critiques of government corruption and inefficiency. Although Hastings initially defended Buckingham’s right to free expression, mounting pressure from conservative Company officials forced him to reconsider.
By the early 1820s, the growing assertiveness of the press and the perceived threat to authority led to renewed calls for regulation. Hastings’ immediate successors, more conservative in outlook, began to reverse some of his liberal measures.

Reversal Under Later Administrations

After Lord Hastings left India in 1823, the new Governor-General, Lord Amherst, reintroduced certain restrictions through the Press Regulations of 1823. These required:

• Government licensing of all presses.
• Prior approval for the publication of newspapers by non-official persons.
• Expulsion or prosecution of those violating the rules.

These restrictions especially targeted outspoken editors like Buckingham, who was eventually expelled from India in 1823 for his criticisms.
Thus, while the freedom of the press introduced by Lord Hastings was not long-lived, it set an important precedent in India’s political and intellectual history.

Historical Significance

The abolition of censorship by Lord Hastings remains a landmark event in the development of civil liberties and the press in colonial India. Its significance can be summarised as follows:

• First Step Toward Press Freedom: It was the first official recognition that a free press could coexist with stable governance.
• Stimulus to Reform Movements: The liberal environment enabled Indian intellectuals and reformers such as Raja Rammohan Roy to express social and political ideas publicly.
• Foundation for Political Consciousness: By encouraging discussion and debate, the press helped nurture the beginnings of a politically aware middle class, which would later become central to the nationalist movement.
• Contrast in Colonial Policy: The oscillation between censorship and freedom in subsequent decades reflected the broader tension within colonial governance—between liberal ideals and imperial control.