Press Council of India upset with Karnataka Election Commission

BELAGAVI: Inquiry committee of Press Council of India (PCI) upset with the election commission for being reluctant about complaints it registered with the Council against various media houses for allegedly publishing paid news during elections and not pursuing the complaints in further course of time. Addressing the press conference here on Wednesday, PCI chairman Justice CK Prasad said inquiry committee of the Council had considered 55 complaints of paid news for hearing filed by officers on special duty (expenditure and monitoring) during 2013 assembly elections. Retired supreme court judge said inquiry committee regrets that neither chief election commissioner nor the chief election officer gave due attention towards complaints after registering the complaint. Despite notice, neither the CEO nor the representatives attended during proceedings of the complaints held in Belagavi for three days besides not even details of the cases produced. PCI chairman opined that before making public its findings of paid news public, election authorities ought to have applied themselves judiciously to the issue because adverse findings could harm reputation of newspapers. He said from the materials perused by inquiry committee, it's clear that election authorities failed in the task and irreparably damaged reputation of institutions of press without proper justification. In many cases, mere publication of news report or interview of a candidate, or coverage of public meeting or press conference by a candidate was erroneously held by election authorities as paid news. Justice Prasad opined it's nothing but passing judgement on what is news and what may be paid news bilaterally and damaging reputation of reputed institutions. Ensure medical treatment of journalist; PCI to TN Govt: Inquiry committee of PCI during its sittings from 15-17 in Belagavi 76 cases were taken for hearing. Of the 76, 14 cases against press, seven were by the press and rest 55 were the references of paid news received from district election officers of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. Among 19 cases against and by the press, committee recommended to censure three newspapers for violation of norms of journalistic conduct. It dismissed 12 cases while adjourned four other cases. Committee directed Tamil Nadu government in a special case to ensure medical treatment of a journalist injured during alleged police action. PCI chairman said Belagavi was chosen for three day sittings of inquiry committee because total 44 of 76 cases were from Karnataka and 12 of which from Belagavi alone. PCI members S N Sinha and Rajeev Ranjan Nag and Prabhat Kumar Dar, secretary Vibha Bhargav and deputy secretary Punam Sibbal were present. Patiala House Court incident; report sought from Delhi police: In connection to attack on journalists at Patiala House Court in Delhi, Justice Prasad said PCI has registered suo-motu cognizance and sought discreet inquiry report from local member of the Council and report from Delhi police. It has also sought report on the murder of a journalist at Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh following his writing. -TOI