Press Council of India operating at half strength, without a single working journalist or newspaper editor

The PCI operates under the Press Council Act, 1978, which stipulates that the Council must consist of a chairperson and 28 members, each serving a three-year term.

THE COUNTRY’S key media watchdog, Press Council of India (PCI), has been operating at half its sanctioned strength for nearly a year now and without a single working journalist or newspaper editor.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has not yet formally notified the names of 13 of the 28 PCI members, six of whom should be newspaper editors and seven should be working journalists other than editors, despite the PCI nominating them earlier this year.

Ironically, the PCI remained without a chairman for nearly four months until Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, a retired Supreme Court judge, was reappointed to the post in April this year. Justice Desai had completed her previous tenure in December last year, resulting in a prolonged vacancy before her reappointment.

Responding to queries from The Indian Express on the matter, the I&B Ministry said it is informed that the notification of the names of the 13 members is currently at the final stage and is expected to be issued shortly, upon completion of the requisite formalities.

The PCI operates under the Press Council Act, 1978, which stipulates that the Council must consist of a chairperson and 28 members, each serving a three-year term.

The members include six newspaper owners, one representative from news agencies, five Members of Parliament and three persons with special knowledge or practical experience in education, science, law, literature and culture, nominated by the University Grants Commission, the Bar Council of India and the Sahitya Akademi, respectively. In addition, the Council includes six newspaper editors and seven working journalists. The Act therefore mandates the appointment of 13 newspaper editors and working journalists.

However, after the 14th Press Council completed its term in October 2024, the 15th Press Council has yet to be fully constituted. At present, only 14 of the 28 members have been appointed: five MPs, three nominees and six from among newspaper owners and management, aside from the chairperson.

Story continues below this ad

Documents accessed by The Indian Express show that the PCI has nominated the 13 members from its side in batches since last year, under Section 5(3)(a) of the Press Council Act. In December last year, the PCI nominated six newspaper editors, followed by six working journalists in May this year. The seventh working journalist was nominated in July.

The documents further show that the PCI sent three communications to the I&B Ministry separately — dated May 25, July 2 and September 9 — requesting it to issue the Gazette notification under Section 5(5) of the Act.

The section states that the Central Government shall notify the names of persons nominated as members in the Official Gazette, and that each nomination shall take effect from the date of notification.

In its latest communication to the Ministry, dated September 9, the PCI requested that the Gazette notification for the 13 members be issued at the earliest. It said it had received communications from nominees expressing concern over the delay in officially notifying their appointments as PCI members.

Story continues below this ad

In the earlier communication dated July 2, the PCI asked the Ministry to expedite the notification of the 12 individuals it had nominated to the Council by that date.

“This is essential to enable the 15th term of the Council to become fully representative and functional so that it can discharge its regular responsibilities,” the letter stated. The matter, it is learnt, is under process at the Ministry’s end.

The PCI has continued to hold meetings despite functioning with half its sanctioned strength. It held its last meeting in June, and another is scheduled for later this month.

The issue was also raised in Parliament in February by BJD legislator Sasmit Patra, who highlighted the serious implications of the absence of a duly constituted Council and a chairperson. He urged the government to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserved and take immediate steps to appoint a chairperson and constitute the 15th Press Council.

Story continues below this ad

“Restoring the full functioning of the PCI is essential to uphold democratic values, strengthen media accountability and reaffirm the government’s commitment to a free, fair and responsible press,” he said.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More