Using the name of the press-council or the Indian Press-Council illegal
Press-council released advisory
Central government released advisory to stop unauthorized use of the name of Press-Course of India
Bhopal
The Central Government has issued an advisory to ban unauthorized use of the name of the Press-Council of India (Press Council). The advisory by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting states that they have received information, the term ‘Press-Council’ is being used improperly by some press organizations, affecting the institutional importance of the Press-Council of India and violating its specific rights. Keeping this in mind, this advisory has been issued.
In the instructions issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Secretary said that the Press-Council of India is a statutory body. It was established under the Press-Council Act-1978 with the aim of protecting the freedom of the press and maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies. Its secretariat is in the information building of CGO Complex located at Lodhi Road, New Delhi. It has been clarified by the Secretariat that there is no branch in any state of the Indian Press-Council, nor has it authorized to use any other body as its same or similar name.
According to the instructions issued from the Secretariat, the use of the Press Council or the Indian Press-Council of India, the symbol and the inappropriate use of the name is a violation of Section 3 of the Act, 1950 and the entry 7 (ii). In this context, the Central Law Department has also clarified that it is illegal to use this name by another organization and legal action can be taken for this.
The Secretariat has also directed all the district collectors regarding not using the ‘Press-Council’ or Press Council of India. The secretariat directed that if a local, private or government organization misuses this name, then their registration should be canceled or necessary improvement in it.
The objective of this initiative of the government is to maintain the reputation of the Press Council of India and to ensure the freedom of the press and safety of standards.
