Is it possible for a statutory, quasi-judicial body like the Press Council of India (PCI) to function for weeks without a chairperson? Should the world’s largest democracy allow its officially recognised media watchdog to drift into institutional paralysis?
These troubling questions are being raised across India’s media fraternity as the 15th Council of the PCI remains headless and incomplete, with 13 key seats lying vacant and even its official website remaining non-functional.
The regular three-year term—and even the permissible six-month extension—of former PCI chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai ended on December 16, 2025. Yet, more than a month later, no successor has been appointed.
Silence from PCI, Confusion Over Leadership
Several national media associations have urged the Union government to appoint a new chairperson at the earliest. The author also sent multiple official communications to the PCI seeking clarification on the current status of the council, but no response was received—not even a courtesy reply.
Until recently, the PCI’s official website (www.presscouncil.nic.in, now inaccessible) continued to list Justice Desai—who took office on June 17, 2022—as chairperson. However, media reports confirm that the retired Supreme Court judge has already been appointed as the Chairperson of the Eighth Pay Commission, raising further concerns about misleading official records.
An Incomplete Statutory Body
The tenure of the 14th Council expired on October 5, 2024, but multiple attempts to constitute the 15th Council were stalled due to legal and procedural hurdles.
At present, the PCI has only the following functioning members:
- Sudhanshu Trivedi, Brij Lal (Rajya Sabha)
- Sambit Patra, Naresh Mhaske, Kali Charan Munda (Lok Sabha)
- Ashwini K. Mohapatra (University Grants Commission)
- Manan Kumar Mishra (Bar Council of India)
- K. Sreenivasarao (Sahitya Akademi)
- Sudhir Kumar Panda, M.V. Shreyams Kumar, Gurinder Singh, Arun Kumar Tripathi, Braj Mohan Sharma, Arti Tripathi (newspaper owners/management representatives)
However, 13 seats meant exclusively for working journalists and editors remain vacant, depriving millions of media professionals of representation.
Why Are Journalist Seats Still Vacant?
Under the Press Council Act, six members must be editors and seven must be working journalists. But these positions remain unfilled due to a major controversy.
The crisis erupted after proposed changes in PCI rules allowed the selection of members from press clubs instead of nationally recognised journalist unions. Several journalist bodies opposed this, arguing that:
- Press clubs are often recreational bodies, not professional unions
- Many admit non-working members such as academicians, writers, filmmakers and diplomats
- Their representation is usually regional or city-based, not national
In contrast, journalist unions function across multiple states and truly represent working media professionals. Some organisations even approached the courts, delaying the formation of the new council.
A Headless Watchdog in a Vast Media Landscape
For the first time in its history, the PCI is without a chairperson. This vacuum raises serious concerns:
Who is safeguarding the standards of India’s vast print media ecosystem—comprising over 100,000 registered publications?
The PCI, established in 1966 under the Press Council Act, 1965, and reconstituted in 1979 under the Press Council Act, 1978, was meant to uphold press freedom and maintain ethical journalism. It can receive complaints and issue observations but lacks strong enforcement powers.
Digital Media Still Outside PCI’s Reach
India today has nearly 400 satellite news channels and millions of digital platforms, portals, and WhatsApp news networks—none of which fall under the PCI’s jurisdiction.
As misinformation and unethical journalism rise across platforms, demands are growing to expand the PCI’s mandate to include television, radio, and digital media—and to strengthen its legal authority.
Until then, India’s media watchdog remains headless, incomplete, and ineffective—a troubling sign for press freedom in the world’s largest democracy.
