{"id":5174,"date":"2025-01-10T17:24:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T11:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianlawsociety.com\/?p=5174"},"modified":"2025-01-14T09:50:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T04:20:10","slug":"the-press-council-act-1978","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/karma.law\/insights\/ministry-of-information-and-broadcasting\/the-press-council-act-1978\/","title":{"rendered":"The Press Council Act, 1978"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Download Act<\/span>Download Act<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n

The Press Council Act, 1978, is a pivotal law that establishes the Press Council of India, a body tasked with preserving the freedom of the press and maintaining high standards in journalism. It empowers the Council to address complaints against newspapers, news agencies, and journalists, ensuring ethical conduct and promoting responsible journalism. The Act aims to balance media freedom with accountability.<\/p>\n

1: Act Background and ministry under which this act is:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Press Council Act, 1978, was enacted to establish a Press Council for the purpose of preserving the freedom of the press and maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India. This act falls under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.<\/span><\/p>\n

2: Enactment date, number of chapters, number of sections:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Act was enacted on 7th September 1978. It is divided into four chapters and has 27 sections.<\/span><\/p>\n

3: Act Governed By:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Act is governed by the Press Council of India (PCI), which is a statutory body established under this Act. The PCI is responsible for overseeing the conduct of newspapers, news agencies, and journalists. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also plays a role in overseeing the implementation of the Act.<\/span><\/p>\n

4: On Whom it is applicable:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This Act applies to newspapers, news agencies, and journalists in India. It empowers the Press Council of India to regulate the conduct of these entities and to address complaints against them. The Act aims to ensure that the media adheres to high standards of journalistic ethics and public taste.<\/span><\/p>\n

5: Penalties\/Punishments:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Act does not prescribe penalties in the traditional sense. Instead, it empowers the Press Council of India to:<\/span><\/p>\n