Introduction
The Press Council of India is a statutory quasi-judicial autonomous authority re-
established in the year 1979 under an Act of Parliament, Press Council Act, 1978 with the
two fold objects of preserving the freedom of the press by maintaining and improving the
standards of newspapers and the news agencies in India. It was first set up in 1966 under the
Indian Press Council Act, 1965, on the recommendations of the first Press Commission with
the identical twin objects. The 1965 Act was, however, repealed in 1975 and the Press
Council was abolished during emergency. Thereafter, a new Act was enacted on the similar
lines as the Act of 1965 and the Press Council was re-established under it in the year 1979.
The Council is a body corporate having perpetual succession comprising of a
Chairman and 28 members. While the Chairman has, by convention, been a retired judge of
the Supreme Court of India who is nominated by a Committee consisting of a Chairman of
the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), Speaker of the House of People (Lok Sabha) and a
person elected amongst themselves by the 28 members of the Council. Of the twenty eight
(28) members, thirteen (13) represent the working journalists, of whom, six (6) are to be
editors of newspapers and remaining seven (7) are to be working journalists other than
editors. Six (6) members are from among persons who own or carry on the business of the
management of the newspapers, two (2) each representing the big, medium and small
newspapers. One (1) is from among persons who manage news agencies. It has five (5)
members as representatives of the two Houses of Parliament, three (3) nominated by the
Speaker of the Lok Sabha and two (2) nominated by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha to
represent readers interest. It has three (3) members nominated from the University Grants
Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Academy representing the fields of education,
law and literature respectively.
The objects of the Press Council of India as embodied in Section 13 of the Act are to
preserve the freedom of the Press and to maintain and improve the standards of newspapers
and news agencies in India. The Act also confers an advisory role on the Council in that it
can, either suo-motu or on a reference made to it by the Government under Section 13 (2) of
the Act, undertake studies and express its opinion in regard to any bill, legislation, law or
other matters concerning the Press and convey its opinion to the Government or the persons
concerned. Also, in the matters of public importance concerning its statutory responsibilities,
the Council may suomotu take cognizance and constitute a Special Committee to make an on-
the spot inquiry.
In furtherance of its objects defined under Section 13 of the Act, some of the
important functions which the Press Council is required to perform are, to help newspapers
and news agencies to maintain their independence; to build up a code of conduct for
newspapers, news agencies and journalists in accordance with high professional standards; to
ensure on the part of the newspapers, news agencies and journalists the maintenance of high
standards of public taste and foster a due sense of both the rights and responsibilities; to keep
under review any development likely to restrict the supply and dissemination of news of
public interest and importance; to promote a proper functional relationship among all classes
of persons engaged in the production or publication of newspapers or in news agencies; and
to concern itself with development such as concentration of or other aspects of ownership of
newspapers and news agencies which may affect the freedom of the press.
The raison d’etre of this body is rooted in the concept that in a democratic society, the
Press needs to be simultaneously free and responsible. Thus, it acts in a higher domain of
ethical values and standards. In furtherance to this aspect, it has been framing up code of
conduct for newspapers, news agencies and the journalists in conforming with high moral and
professional standards. Its purpose is not only to act as a watch dog on the press but also to
enthuse a new perspective into journalistic fraternity. The Council constantly assays to keep
the press devoid of unethical writings 2 and also the Council expends its moral authority to
instil ethics into the journalistic sodality which is always higher plane than law.
The Council discharges its functions primarily through adjudications on complaint
cases received by it, either against the Press for violation of journalistic ethics or by the Press
for interference with its freedom. Where the Council is satisfied, after inquiry, that a
newspaper or a news agency has offended against the standards of journalistic ethics or
public taste or that an editor or working journalist has committed any professional
misconduct, the Council may warn, admonish or censure them or disapprove of their conduct.
The Council is also empowered to make such observations as it may think fit in respect of the
conduct of any authority, including Government, for interfering with the freedom of the press
so prescribed under Section (4). The decisions of the Council are final and cannot be
questioned in any court of law.
The Council being a body set up under an Act of Parliament gets a substantial part of
its fund by way of grants-in-aid from the Central Government, after due appropriation by the
Parliament, as also it has its own funds by way of the fee collected by from newspapers on a
graded structure and other receipts.
