The Press Council Of India

The Press Council Of India was established as a statutory body to preserves the freedom of the press, and to maintain and improve the standards of print media. It was set up in 1966 by an act of parliament. The present Council functions under the Press Council Act 1978.

It is a statutory, quasi judicial body which acts as a watchdog of the press. It adjudicates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of the freedom of the press respectively. It may either warn or censure the errant journalists on finding them guilty.

• A retired judge of Supreme court of India acts as the Chairman of the Press Council of India. The present Chairman is Justice Markandey Katju.
• The council also consists of 28 members.
• 20 represent the press and are nominated by the press organisations/news agencies recognised and notified by the Council as all India bodies of categories such as editors, working journalists and owners and managers of newspaper; 
• 5 members are nominated from the two houses of Parliament and 
• 3 represent cultural, literary and legal fields as nominees of the Sahitya Academy, University Grants Commission and the Bar Council of India. 

The members serve on the Council for a term of three years.

The Council is funded by revenue collected by it as fee levied on the registered newspapers in the country on the basis of their circulation.