1. The Press Council is a statutory and
autonomous body which formulates
guidelines or code of conduct for the
press which is followed by members of
the Press voluntarily
2. • Sweden is the first country to form Press Council in 1916.
It was called the Court of Honour.
• At present there are about 40 countries that have their own
Press Council.
• In all countries except Italy and Holland, Press Councils have
been voluntarily set up.
• In USA ,guidelines of the Press Council are made in
consultation with the legal experts.
• In UK, the Press Council is formed by journalists ,
academicians etc. It is not a statutory body and has no legal
powers.
3. It was commissioned on the recommendation of the First Press
Commission in 1954.
In India, the Press Council is a statutory body created by the Press
Council Act consisting of Journalists, MPs and Academicians.
The Press Council of India was constituted by the Govt. of India in 1966
under the Press council Act of 1965, with Justice J.R.Mudholkar, and was
later amended on 1st January, 1976.
During the Internal Emergency, the Press Council was abolished and The
Press Council Act was repealed on its failure of achieving objectives of
establishment.
4. Term - 3 yrs
Constitution of the Press Council
Total members - 28
Chairman - The chairman is always a retired judge of the Supreme Court. He is
nominated by a committee consisting of the chairman of Rajya Sabha, Speaker of Lok
Sabha and one elected representative of council member.
Among the 28 members –
a. Working Journalists (6 editors of newspapers,7 working journalists other than editors)
:13
b. From Management , big , medium and small newspapers :06
c. News Agencies :01
d. Members of Parliament nominated by speaker of Lok Sabha :05
(3 from Lok Sabha and 2 from Rajya Sabha)
e. Persons having special knowledge or practical experience in the following fields
i. Education and Science(nominated by UGC) :01
ii. Law and Literature(nominated by Bar Council) :01
iii.Culture (nominated by Sahitya Academy) :01
5. The main objectives of the Council shall be to preserve the freedom
of the Press and to maintain and improve the standards of
newspapers and news agencies in India.
OTHER FUNCTIONS
(a) To help newspapers and news agencies to maintain their Independence.
(b) To build up a code of conduct for newspapers ,news agencies and journalists in
accordance with high professional standards.
(c ) 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 rights and
responsibilities of citizenship.
(d) To encourage the growth of the sense of responsibility and public service among all
those engaged in the profession of journalism.
(e) To keep under review any development likely to restrict the supply and dissemination of
news of public interest and importance.
6. Complaints made by the press against government
administration/police/politicians/publicity dept –
1.False and malicious charges.
2.False arrests and detentions in police custody.
3.Threats to life and property.
4.In action of police on complaints filed by journalists.
5.Threats to life, liberty and property.
6.Suspension and cancellation of advertisements.
7.Withholding of or reduction of news print quota.
8.Stopage of electricity and water supply.
9.Raids and attempts to demolish newspaper offices.
10.Seizure of copies and their destruction .
7. POWERS:
Enjoys powers equivalent to a civil court
Can summon and enforce the attendance of persons
Enforce people to take an oath
Enforce discovery and production of documents, receive evidence
on affidavits, requisition public records or copies from any court or
office
Issue commissions for the examination of persons or documents
LIMITATIONS:
Court of honour and not court of law
The verdicts are not judicial pronouncements
No imposition of punishments to offending journalists
No awards to aggrieved parties
The only weapon is moral authority and appeal to conscience
(disapproval, warning, admonition, censure and strong observations)
