Delhi HC seeks reply over constitution of 15th Press Council

New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the Press Council of India and the Centre on a plea of the Mumbai Press Club seeking constitution of the 15th Press Council.

Justice Sachin Datta issued notice to the Press Council of India (PCI) and the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the petition, directing them to file their replies within four weeks.

The court passed the direction on May 26 and posted the hearing on July 10.

The plea sought a direction to the chairperson of the PCI to constitute the 15th Press Council without any delay.

PCI was represented by additional solicitor general Vikramjit Banerjee and advocate T Singhdev.

The petition filed by Mumbai Press Club said the PCI was a quasi-judicial body entrusted with the task of overseeing the smooth and ethical functioning of the press in India.

The PCI, which ordinarily has a three-year term, comprises the chairperson, usually a retired Supreme Court judge, and 20 elected members representing working journalists, editors, owners of newspapers and news agencies aside from eight nominated persons – five MPs and three others with special knowledge of the law and arts.

The plea said the term of 14th Press Council ended on October 8, 2024 but the new Press Council which should ordinarily have taken over seamlessly, hadn't been constituted yet even as it's been eights months.

"The process for setting up the Press Council through seeking nominations from associations of journalists, editors and owners, was started as far back as a year ago on June 9, 2024, but for one reason or another, has not been completed," it said. PTI SKV SKV AMK AMK