More than a year after reconstitution of Press Council, 3 MP posts remain vacant

More than a year after the constitution of the new body of the Press Council of India (PCI), three spots that are to be filled by Lok Sabha members remain vacant.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has yet to nominate names of elected members for filling the three spots in the 28-member body, excluding the chairman. There are five MPs in the council - two from the Rajya Sabha and three from Lok Sabha. Political stalwarts such as LK Advani and George Fernandes have been members of the body in the past. The delay in nominating elected representatives with a voice in Parliament for the council is undermining the PCI's role as a watchdog of the media, at least three members of the council told ET.

Eight months after the council was constituted in October, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai was nominated as chairperson of the PCI in June earlier this year. Apart from the chairperson - traditionally, a retired Supreme Court judge - the body has 28 members, of which 20 are members of the media, nominated by print media organisations, mainly from newspapers. There are also members from the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Akademis.


Five positions are left for MPs. The Rajya Sabha has already nominated BJP MP Rakesh Sinha and TRS MP Keshava Rao as members. However, Rao resigned recently, so that position is vacant too.

"The delay has thrown many challenges, as for many important decisions we need a full council. The speaker has to send the names fast to show that the issues of the press are important for the government," said one of the members, who did not wish to be identified.

Created by an Act of Parliament, the PCI is a statutory authority entrusted with quasi-judicial functions of maintaining freedom of press and also adjudicating on disputes where press coverage crosses the line. Last year, many members had protested over the delay in appointment of a new chairman, with its members requisitioning a meeting to discuss the issue, and government-appointed secretary withdrawing permission for the meeting at the last minute.

"The PCI was headless for quite some time when Justice (retired) CK Prasad demitted office on November 29, 2020. Though the date of expiry of his term was known well in advance, no steps were initiated to appoint a new chairman. Now, there is a delay in nominating MPs too," said another member.