PCI Gets New Chairperson; 13 Journalist Posts Still Vacant

Nava Thakuria

After months of uncertainty, the Press Council of India (PCI) has a chairperson again, with Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai assuming charge on April 24, 2026. The retired judge of the Supreme Court of India has been appointed for a second three-year term. She previously served as PCI chairperson from June 17, 2022, to December 16, 2025.

However, key positions representing journalists remain unfilled. Seven seats meant for working journalists (excluding editors) and six for editors are still vacant, leaving the 15th Council incomplete.

Earlier, Sasmit Patra, a member of the Rajya Sabha, had urged the Union government to expedite the Council’s constitution. Speaking in Parliament on February 10, the Biju Janata Dal leader stressed that a fully functional PCI was essential to uphold democratic values and ensure a free, fair, and accountable press. He also highlighted the urgency of appointing a chairperson after the 14th Council’s term ended on October 5, 2024, leaving the body headless from December 17 onward.

Smt. Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai has assumed charge as Chairperson, Press Council of India on 24th April 2026 after being nominated for 2nd term.#presscouncilofindia #pressrelease pic.twitter.com/Xx6wYpWEHc

— Press Council of India (@PressCouncil_IN) April 24, 2026

At present, PCI’s functioning members include lawmakers Sudhanshu Trivedi, Brij Lal (Rajya Sabha), and Sambit Patra, Naresh Mhaske, and Kali Charan Munda (Lok Sabha), along with representatives from institutions such as the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India, and Sahitya Akademi. Several members also represent newspaper management across categories. Efforts are ongoing to fill the remaining 14 vacancies, despite procedural and legal hurdles.

The 29-member statutory and quasi-judicial body, originally established in 1966 under the Press Council Act, 1965, and reconstituted in 1979 under the Press Council Act, 1978, is mandated to maintain and improve standards of newspapers and news agencies in India. It is supposed to include 13 representatives of professional journalists—six editors and seven working journalists—but these crucial positions remain vacant.

The impasse largely stems from opposition by several national journalist bodies to proposed changes in selection rules. The changes sought to allow representation from press clubs instead of recognized unions of working journalists. Critics argue that press clubs are often regional, recreational in nature, and may include non-journalists such as academicians, writers, and diplomats, thereby diluting professional representation. In contrast, journalist unions typically have broader national representation.

The prolonged vacancy raised concerns over regulatory oversight, especially as the PCI remained without a chairperson for months—an unprecedented situation. The Council is empowered to adjudicate complaints against newspapers, news agencies, editors, and journalists for professional misconduct, though its enforcement powers remain limited.

While India has over 100,000 registered publications under the Registrar of Newspapers for India, the media landscape has expanded far beyond print. The country now hosts nearly 400 satellite news channels and a vast digital ecosystem, including online portals and social media-based news dissemination. However, these platforms remain outside PCI’s jurisdiction.

As debates continue, there is growing demand to expand the PCI’s mandate to include electronic and digital media, along with calls to strengthen its authority to ensure accountability across the rapidly evolving news ecosystem.