Vijayawada: The Press Council of India (PCI) has issued a stern directive to all state Chief Secretaries, forbidding any other body from using its name or symbol. In a recent letter, Dr Dheeraj Kakadia, Secretary of the PCI, clarified the organisation's unique and statutory status.
Dr Kakadia explained that the PCI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, established by the Press Council Act, 1978. Its primary objectives are to protect press freedom and uphold journalistic standards in India. He said that the PCI's secretariat is located in New Delhi, and it has no state branches or affiliated bodies.
The secretary noted that the unauthorised use of the name 'Press Council' by other press organisations erodes the PCI's institutional value and infringes on its exclusive title.
The Department of Legal Affairs has deemed this practice a violation of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.
To address this, Dr Kakadia urged chief secretaries to take immediate action. This includes prohibiting the registration of any new organisations or rectifying the names of existing ones that use 'Press Council' or its Hindi equivalent, Bharatiya Press Parishad, anywhere in the country. This move aims to protect the integrity and legal standing of the Press Council of India.