Katju reiterates demand for bringing electronic media under ambit of Press Council of India

NEW DELHI: While reiterating his demand for bringing electronic media under his ambit, Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markanday Katju has said that self-regulation is not workable.

In his foreword to the annual report of the Council for 2011-12 placed in Parliament, Justice Katju said "all institutions in a democratic set-up are subject to regulation by an independent statutory authority".

He said regulation was a concept distinct from ?control?. He added: ?In control, there is no freedom, whereas in regulation there is freedom subject to reasonable restrictions in public interest."

He said he had asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to enact amendments in the Press Council of India Act 1978 by not only bringing the electronic media under its ambit and renaming it as the Media Council of India, but to give it more teeth for punishing those who tampered with the freedom of the press. This could include suspending advertisements to a publication for a limited period.

At the same time, Justice Katju said that "in a democracy, issues are ordinarily resolved by discussion, persuasion and dialogue and that is the method to be preferred, rather than using harsh measures."

He said if his suggestions are accepted, the Council was bound to emerge as an authority ?to be recokoned with for its support of the freedom of the press while at the same time asking the press to act responsibly.?