Press Council of India

The Press Council of India was set up on the recommendations of the First Press Commission
(1954). The commission had felt that high standard of journalism was being maintained by
only the few well-established players, while others were prone to publishing sensational
news. The commission had opined that only an autonomous body comprising people
principally connected with the industry could ensure that no code of journalistic ethics are
breached by any player.

The commission identified roles for the proposed commissions. These were:

1. Safeguarding the freedom of press

2. To maintain high standards of public taste
3. To foster due sense of both the rights and responsibilities of citizenship

The Press Council of India was first constituted on 4th July, 1966 as an autonomous,
statutory, quasi-judicial body, with Shri Justice J R Mudholkar, then a Judge of the Supreme
Court, as Chairman.

Composition of The Press Council

The Press Council Act, 1965 provided for a 25-member strong body out of which 3 were to
represent the two houses of Parliament, 13 were to be from amongst the working journalists,
of which not less than 6 were to be editors who did not own or carry on the business of
management of newspapers and the rest were to be the persons having special knowledge or
practical experience in respect of education and science, law, literature and culture. By an
amendment of the Act in 1970, the membership of the Council was raised by one to provide a
seat for persons managing the news agencies.

The same amendment also made new provisions for the appointments of the chairman and
other member of the Council. From 1970 onwards till 1979, the chairman and other members
of the council were nominated by a  Nominating Committee consisting of the Chairman of
the Rajya Sabha, the Chief Justice of India and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Press Council of India was revamped in 1979 following the enactment of a fresh legislation
by Parliament in 1978. Although the composition of the council underwentb few changes, but
the objectives of the council remain the same:

 Preserving the freedom of the press

 Maintaining and improving the standards of press in India

The present Council is a body corporate having perpetual succession. It consists of a

Chairman and 28 other members. Of the 28 members, 13 represent the working journalists.
Of whom 6 are to be editors of newspapers and remaining 7 are to be working journalists
other than editors. 6 are to be from among persons who own or carry on the business of
management of newspapers. One is to be from among the persons who manage news
agencies. Three are to be persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect
of education and science, law and literature and culture. The remaining five are to Members
of Parliament : three from Lok Sabha, and two from Rajya Sabha.
 Functions of Press Council Of India

The Press Council Act, 1965, listed the following functions of the Council in furtherance of
its objects:

 To help newspapers to maintain their independence

 To build up a code of conduct for newspapers and journalists in accordance with high
professional standards
 To ensure on the part of newspapers and journalists the maintenance of high standards
of public taste and foster a due sense of both the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
 To encourage the growth of a sense of responsibility and public service among all
those engaged in the profession of journalism
 To keep under review any development likely to restrict the supply and dissemination
of news of public interest and importance
 To keep under review such cases of assistance received by any newspaper or news
agency in India from foreign sources, as are referred to it by the Central Government
 Provided that nothing in this clause shall preclude the Central Government from
dealing with any case of assistance received by a newspaper or news agency in India from
foreign sources in any other manner it thinks fit
 To promote the establishment of such common service for the supply and
dissemination of news to newspapers as may, from time to time, appear to it to be desirable;
 To provide facilities for the proper education and training of persons in the profession
of journalism
 To promote a proper functional relationship among all classes of persons engaged in
the production or publication of newspapers
 To study developments which may tend towards monopoly or concentration of
ownership of newspapers, including a study of the ownership or financial structure of
newspapers, and if necessary, to suggest remedies therefore
 To promote technical or other research

The Press Council of India 1978 Act added three new functions for the council:

a) promoting the establishment of such common services for the supply and dissemination of
news to newspapers as may, from time to time, appear to it to be desirable;(b) providing
facilities for proper education and training of persons in the profession of journalism; and (c)
promoting technical or other research

Powers Of The Council

The Press Council can’t force any newspaper, news agency, editor or journalist to reveal the
source of any news or information

 The council has power to censure any news which violates the standards of
journalistic ethics or public taste
 The council can hold inqury against an editor or a working journalist if s/he is found
of committing professional misconduct
 Every inquiry held by the Council shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within
the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code

Chairmen Of The Council

  Justuce JR Mudhokar (1966-1968)
 Justuce N Rajagopala Ayyangar (1968-1976)
 Justice AN Grover (1979-1985)
 Justice AN Sen (1985-1989)
 Justice RS Sarkaria (1989-1995)
 Justice PB Sawant 1995-2001
 Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy (2001-2005)
 Justice G.N. Ray (2005-2011)
 Justice Markandey Katju (2011-2015)
 Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad (2015 – Till Date)

Complaints Procedure 
If you have a complaint against a newspaper, for any publication which you find
objectionable and effects you personally, or non-publication of a material, you should first
take it up with the editor or other representative of the publication concerned. 

If the complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may refer it to the Press Council of
India. The complaint must be specific and in writing and should be filed/lodged within two
months of the publication of impugned news item in case of dailies and weeklies and four
months in all other cases, along with the original/photostat copy of the impugned clipping
( English translation if the matter is in vernacular ). You must state in what manner the
publication/non publication of the matter is objectionable within the meaning of the Press
Council Act, 1978 and enclose a copy of your letter to the editor, pointing out why you
consider the matter objectionable. His reply thereto or published rejoinder, if any, may also
be attached to it. Declaration stating that the matter is not pending in any court of law is also
required to be filed. 

If a newspaper or journalist is aggrieved by any action of any authority that may impinge on
the freedom of the press, he can also file a complaint with the Council. The aggrieved
newspaper or journalist may inform the Council about the possible reason for the action of
the authorities against him i.e. if it is as a reprisal measure taken by the authorities due to
critical writings or as a result of the policy that may effect the freedom of the press
( supporting documents, with English translation if they are in vernacular, should be filed ).
Declaration regarding the non pendency of the matter in any court of law is also necessary. 

On receipt of a complaint made to it or otherwise, if the Council is prima facie satisfied that
the matter discloses sufficient ground for inquiry, it issues show cause notice to the
respondents and then considers the matter through its Inquiry Committee on the basis of
written and oral evidence tendered before it. If on inquiry, the Council has reason to believe
that the respondent newspaper has violated journalistic norms, the Council keeping in view
the gravity of the misconduct committed by the newspaper, warns, admonishes or censures
the newspaper or disapproves the conduct of the editor or the journalist as the case may be. It
may also direct the respondent newspaper to publish the contradiction of the complainant or a
gist of the Council’s decision in its forthcoming issue. 
Similarly, when the Council upholds the complaint of the aggrieved newspaper/journalist the
Council directs the concerned government to take appropriate steps to redress the grievance
of the complainant. The Council may, if it considers necessary , make such observations, as it
may think fit, in any of its decisions or reports, respecting the conduct of any authority,
including Government. 

Annexure – Details of Press Council Members and Composition

Press Council Act 1965

Composition of the Council

(1) The Council shall consist of a Chairman and twenty-five other members.
(2)   The Chairman shall be a person nominated by the Chief Justice of India.
(3) The other members shall be chosen as follows:-
a) thirteen members from among the working journalists, of whom not less than six shall
be editors of newspapers who do not own or carry on the business of management of
newspapers, so however that the number of editors of newspapers published in Indian
languages shall not be less than three;
b) six members from among persons who own or carry on the business of management
of newspapers;
c) three members from among persons having special knowledge or experience in the
field of education, science, literature, law or culture;
d) three members, of whom two shall be from among the members of the House of the
People and one from among the members of the Council of States.

                 (4)   The two members to be chosen from among the members of the House of the
People shall be nominated by the Speaker thereof and the one to be chosen from among the
members of the Council of States shall be nominated by the Chairman thereof; and save as
aforesaid, all the other members referred to in sub-section (3) shall be nominated by a
Committee consisting of the Chief Justice of India, the Chairman of the Council and a person
to be appointed by the President of India, and in making any such nomination, the Committee
shall have due regard to the consideration that not more than one person interested in any
newspaper or any group of newspapers under the same control or management should be
nominated to represent any of the categories referred to in clause (a) or clause (b) of that sub-
section.

                 (5)  Before making any nomination under clause (a) or clause (b) or sub-section
(3), the Committee referred to in sub-section (4) shall, in the prescribed manner, invite panels
of names from all such associations of persons of the categories referred to in the said clause
(a) or clause (b) as may be notified in this behalf by the Council and in making any such
nomination the Committee shall have due regard to the panels of names forwarded to it:
Provided that, until the Council is established, such associations shall be notified by the
Central Government.

                 (6)  Before  making any nomination under clause (c) of sub-sections (3), the
Committee shall consult such associations or persons as it thinks fit.

                 (7)  The names of persons nominated under this section shall be forwarded to the
Central Government and shall be notified by that Government in the Official Gazette, and
every appointmentso made under this section shall take effect from the date on which it is so
notified.

 
               Term of office and retirement of members

1) Save as otherwise provided in this section, the Chairman and other members shall
hold office for a period of three years.
2) Where a person chosen as a member under clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (3)
of section 4 is censured under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 13, he shall
cease to be a member of the Council.
3) The term of office of a member chosen under clause (d) of sub-section (3) of section 4
shall come to an end as soon as he ceases to be a member of the House from which he
was chosen.
4) The Chairman may resign his office by giving notice in writing to the Central
Government and any other member may resign his office by giving notice in writing
to the Chairman; and upon such resignation being accepted by the Central
Government or, as the case may be, the Chairman, he shall be deemed to have vacated
his office.
5) A casual vacancy arising under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) or
otherwise shall be filled by fresh appointment and a member so appointed shall hold
office for the remaining period for which the member in whose place he is appointed
would have held office.
6) Every fresh appointment to fill a casual vacancy or a vacancy caused by the
retirement of a member shall be made from the same category of persons to which the
member in whose place the appointment is to be made belonged, and every such
appointment shall be made by the same authority by which and in the same manner in
which, that member was appointed
7) A retiring member shall be eligible for re-appointment:Provided that no member shall
hold office for a period exceeding six years in the aggregate and on the expiry of such
period he shall cease to be a member.

            Conditions of service of members

1) The Chairman shall be a whole-time officer and shall be paid such salary as the
Central Government may think fit; and the other members shall receive such
allowances or fees for attending the meetings of the Council, as may be prescribed.
2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (1), the conditions of service of members
shall be such as may be prescribe
3) It is hereby declared that the office of a member of the Council shall not disqualify its
holder for being chosen as, or for being, a member of either House of Parliament.

The Press Council is a statutory, quasi-judicial body which acts as a watchdog of the press. It

adjudicates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of
the freedom of the press respectively.
The Council is funded by revenue collected by it as fees levied on the registered newspapers
in the country on the basis of their circulation. No fee is levied on newspapers with a
circulation of less than 5000 copies. The deficit is made good by grants by the Central
Government, through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESS COUNCIL, 1978

The Press Council is headed by a Chairman: usually, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of
India (except for the first chairman, Justice J. R. Mudholkar, who was a sitting judge of
Supreme Court of India in 1968).It consists of a Chairman and 28 other members. Of the 28
members, 13 represent the working journalists. Of whom 6 are to be editors of newspapers
and remaining 7(2members missing) are to be working journalists other than editors. 6 are to
be from among persons who own or carry on the business of management of newspapers.
One is to be from among the persons who manage news agencies. Three are to be persons
having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of education and science, law and
literature and culture. The remaining five are to Members of Parliament : three from Lok
Sabha, and two from Rajya Sabha. The members serve on the Council for a term of three
years. The Council was last reconstituted on 22 May 2001. The present Chairman is Justice
Chandramauli Kumar Prasad.
Incorporation of The Council
1. With-effect from such date as the Central Government, may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, appoint, there shall be established a council by the name of the Press Council of
India.

2. The said Council shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal
and shall by the said name sue and be sued.

Composition of the Council

1. The Council shall consist of a Chairman and twenty-eight other members.

2. The Chairman shall be a person nominated by a Committee consisting of the
Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), the Speaker of the House of the
People (Lok Sabha) and a person elected by the members of the Council under sub-
section (6) and the nominations so made shall take effect from the date on which it is
notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette.
3. Of the other members- 

a. thirteen shall be nominated in accordance with such procedure as may be

prescribed from among the working journalists of whom six shall be editors of
newspapers and the remaining seven shall be working journalists other than
editors, so, however, that the number of such editors and working journalists
 other than editors in relation to newspapers published in Indian languages
shall be not less than three and four respectively;
b. six shall be nominated in accordance with such procedure as may be
prescribed from among persons who own or carry on the business of
management of newspapers, so, however, that there shall be two
representatives from each of the categories of big newspapers, medium
newspapers and small newspapers;
c. One shall be nominated in accordance with such procedure as may be
prescribed from among persons who manage news agencies;
d. three shall be persons having special knowledge or practical experience in
respect of education and science, law and literature and culture of whom
respectively one shall be nominated by the University Grants Commission,
one by the Bar Council of India and one by the Sahitya Academy;
e. five shall be members of Parliament of whom three shall be nominated by the
Speaker from among the members of the House of the People (Lok Sabha) and
two shall be nominated by the Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya
Sabha) from among its members;

Provided that no working journalist who owns, or carries on the business of

management of, any newspaper shall be eligible for nomination under clause
(a); Provided further that the nomination under clause (a) and clause (b) shall
be so made that the among the persons nominated there is not more than one
person interested in any newspaper or group of newspapers under the same
control of management.

*Explanation: "For the purpose of clause (b), a 'newspaper' shall be deemed to

be categorised as big medium or small newspaper on the basis of its
circulation per issue, as the Central Government, may, by notification in the
official gazette, notify from time to time.

(*Explanation amended vide Gazette Extraordinary dated June 6, 1994)

4. Before making any nomination under clause (a), clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section
(3), the Central Government in the case of the first Council and the retiring Chairman
of the previous Council in the case of any subsequent Council shall, in the prescribed
manner, invite panels of names comprising twice the number of members to be
nominated from such associations of persons of the categories referred to in the said
clause(a) clause (b) or clause (c) as may be notified in this behalf by the Central
Government in the case of the first Council and by the Council itself in the case of
subsequent Councils; Provided that where there is no association of persons of the
category referred to in said clause (c), the panels of names shall be invited from such
news agencies as may be notified as aforesaid.
5. The Central Government shall notify the names of persons nominated as members
under sub-section (3) in the Official Gazette and every such nomination shall take
effect from the date on which it is notified.

6. The members of the Council notified under sub-section (5) shall elect from among
themselves in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed a person to be a
member of the Committee referred to in sub-section (2) and a meeting of the members
of the Council for the purpose of such election shall be presided over by a person
chosen from among themselves.

Term of office and retirement of members

1. Save as otherwise provided in this section, the Chairman and other members shall
hold office for a period of three years: Provided that the Chairman shall continue to
hold such office until the Council is reconstituted in accordance with the provision of
section 5 for a period of six months whichever is earlier.
2. Where a person nominated as a member under clause (a), clause (b) or clause (c) of
sub-section (3) of section 5 is censured under the provision of sub-section (1) of
Section 14, he shall cease to be a member of the Council.
3. The term of office of a member nominated under clause (e) of sub-section (3) of
section 5 shall come to an end as soon as he ceases to be a member of the House from
which he was nominated.
4. A member shall be deemed to have vacated his seat if he is absent without excuse,
sufficient in the opinion of the Council from three consecutive meetings of the
Council.
5. The Chairman may resign his office by giving notice in writing to the Central
Government, and any other member may resign his office by giving notice in writing
to the Chairman, and upon such resignation being accepted by the Central
Government, or as the case may be, the Chairman, the Chairman or the member shall
be deemed to have vacated his office.
6. Any vacancy arising under sub-section (2), sub-section (3) sub-section (4) or sub-
section (5) or otherwise shall be filled, as soon as may be, by nomination in the same
manner in which the member vacating the office was nominated and the member so
nominated shall hold office for the remaining period in which the member in whose
place he is nominated would have held office.
1. A retiring member shall be eligible for renomination for not more than one term.

Conditions of service of members

1. The Chairman shall be a whole-time officer and shall be paid such salary as the
Central Government may think fit; and the other members shall receive such
allowances or fees for attending the meeting of the Council, as may be prescribed.
2. Subject to the provisions of sub-section (1), the conditions of service of members
shall be such as may be prescribed.
 3. it is hereby declared that the office of a member of the Council shall not disqualify
its holder for being chosen, as, or for being, a member of either House of Parliament.

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