PCI in limbo? India’s media watchdog remains incomplete, journalist seats vacant

By Nava Thakuria*

It may be surprising but true that the largest democracy on Earth has been functioning for more than a year without a fully constituted government-sponsored media watchdog. The Press Council of India (PCI), a quasi-judicial body initiated to safeguard and nurture press freedom in the country, remains almost non-functional since the term of its 14th council expired on 5 October 2024. Efforts to constitute the statutory 15th council have faced multiple hurdles, preventing the body from carrying out its prescribed activities.

At present, the PCI has its chairperson and secretary, along with only five members representing the Rajya Sabha, University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Akademi. In total, the council should have 28 members—13 representing professional journalists (including six editors and seven working journalists), six representing newspaper managements (two each from large, medium and small newspapers), and one representing news agencies.

This writer sought official information on 3 December regarding the term of PCI chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (who assumed charge on 17 June 2022) and the number of members appointed to the 15th council so far. The request went unanswered, not even with a courtesy acknowledgement. However, according to the PCI website, aside from the chairperson and secretary (Shubha Gupta), the council currently has five functioning members who assumed charge on 20 December 2024 for a three-year term. They include Rajya Sabha MPs Sudhanshu Trivedi and Brij Lal, Ashwini K. Mohapatra (University Grants Commission), Manan Kumar Mishra (Bar Council of India) and K. Sreenivasarao (Sahitya Akademi).

Months earlier, Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the constitution of the 15th council was underway but that the process of filling the seats meant for media professionals remained sub judice. He also noted that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had already nominated three members—Sambit Patra, Naresh Mhaske and Kali Charan Munda—for the new council. It is understood that the chairperson’s term will expire on 16 December 2025. Before that date, a hurried attempt appears to have been made to constitute the 15th council—yet without any representatives from among working journalists or editors. A meeting is reportedly scheduled for 13 December to pave the way for the first sitting of the new council. But questions remain: how can a press council function without working journalists and editors? Should it even continue to carry the word “press” in its name?

For the record, the PCI is an autonomous body initially established in 1966 under the Press Council Act, 1965, and reconstituted in 1979 under the Press Council Act, 1978. Its primary mandate is to ensure press freedom and improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the country. India, a billion-plus nation, today hosts nearly 100,000 registered publications (as per the Registrar of Newspapers for India) across various languages and frequencies, including English. It also supports nearly 400 satellite news channels, along with thousands of online portals, WhatsApp channels and other digital outlets.

Revenues from Indian newspapers and periodicals have continued to shrink since the Covid-19 pandemic, as digital media increasingly dominates the advertising market. However, many observers argue that traditional media will gradually recover its abrupt losses. They predict a resurgence in readership, driven by “digital fatigue,” as consumers turn back to print for reliable information. Some even estimate that print readership could nearly double by 2030.

Earlier, several media bodies opposed a proposed change in PCI guidelines that would allow members to be selected from various press clubs instead of national unions of working journalists. They argue that press clubs are primarily recreational bodies with localised membership, often offering entry to non-working journalists—including academicians, writers, film personalities and diplomats—primarily to broaden influence. Moreover, press clubs, guilds or media clubs cannot claim all-India representation. In contrast, recognised journalist unions typically represent members from across the country. The Indian Journalists Union and the All India Working News Cameramen’s Association have already approached the court seeking justice for media professionals.

The PCI’s jurisdiction currently extends only to newspapers, periodicals and news agencies. It has limited powers of enforcement but can penalise outlets, editors and journalists for violating established guidelines. Importantly, it can receive complaints against newspapers, news agencies or media practitioners for professional misconduct and adjudicate them. It can also critique government actions that undermine press freedom. A long-standing demand—to bring news channels, radio and digital platforms under its jurisdiction—deserves serious consideration from the I&B Ministry.

The time has clearly come to reactivate and strengthen the council so that it can effectively address the growing challenges facing the media fraternity.

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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

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