India’s Press Council Faces Uncertain Future as 15th Council Stalls

India’s Press Council, the quasi-judicial body tasked with safeguarding press freedom, is on the verge of collapse, raising serious concerns for the country’s media landscape.

The council has remained largely inactive since October 5, 2024, following the expiry of the 14th Press Council of India (PCI).

Efforts to constitute the 15th council have faced multiple hurdles, leaving the country’s largest democracy without a fully functioning media watchdog.

Currently, the PCI comprises Chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, Secretary Shubha Gupta, and five members, Rajya Sabha lawmakers Sudhanshu Trivedi and Brij Lal, Ashwini K Mohapatra (University Grants Commission), Manan Kumar Mishra (Bar Council of India), and K Sreenivasarao (Sahitya Akademi), all of whom assumed charge on December 20, 2024, for a three-year term. 

Months ago, Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had nominated three additional members, Sambit Patra, Naresh Mhaske, and Kali Charan Munda, for the 15th council.

The PCI, a 28-member statutory body, is supposed to include 13 professional journalists, with six editors and seven working journalists.

However, the full term of Chairperson Justice Desai, including a six-month extension since taking charge on June 17, 2022, is set to expire on December 16, 2025.

Without a new chairperson appointed within the next two working days, the council risks being headless, potentially creating a constitutional and administrative crisis for India’s print media.

The PCI, established under the Press Council Act of 1965, oversees newspapers, periodicals, and news agencies.

While India hosts over 100,000 print publications, nearly 400 satellite news channels, and countless digital platforms, including portals and social media outlets, the PCI’s jurisdiction remains limited to print media.

Its powers are restricted to receiving complaints, adjudicating professional misconduct, and making observations on government actions affecting press freedom, but it cannot enforce penalties beyond print journalism.

Calls to expand the PCI’s mandate to include digital and broadcast platforms have been longstanding but remain unresolved.

The current crisis stems from opposition by several national journalist bodies to a rule change allowing PCI members to be selected from press clubs instead of recognised journalist unions.

Critics argue that press clubs, which are often recreational and regionally focused, may include non-working journalists such as academicians, writers, film personalities, and diplomats, whose interests may not align with professional media personnel.

In contrast, recognised journalist unions comprise members from across India, ensuring broader representation and accountability. Legal challenges have further complicated the formation of the 15th council.

The looming vacuum in the PCI highlights broader concerns about press regulation and accountability in India. Without a functioning council, the oversight of 100,000 print publications and the protection of journalistic standards risk being left in limbo, raising questions about the future of media self-regulation in the country.

Also Read: Who’s Guarding the Press? PCA Pushes for Press Council’s Return