The Indian News Paper Society (INS) has come out against a move of the the Press Council of India (PCI) to amend the PCI Act, 1978, to bestow itself more powers under the guise of bringing electronic and social media within the purview of the PCI.
“The move appears to have been single handedly spearheaded by PCI chairman. He claims to have the mandate of the PCI council by way of a resolution purported to have been passed. However, many council members issued statements contradicting chairman’s claim,” INS president Ashish Bagga said in a press release. Bagga said that print and electronic media could not and should not coexist under one particular dispensation.
“Press in India is time-tested and self regulated with enough maturity to continue its role of the fourth estate. The mandate given to PCI in the present format is adequate enough to discharge its responsibilities, he said.