Warrant against I&B Secretary

In an unprecedented move, the Press Council of India (PCI) recently took a unanimous view to serve I&B Secretary Sunil Arora with a bailable arrest warrant, setting the government on a collision course with the Council.

Why?

Mr. Arora had questioned the powers of the Council to serve summons directing him to appear before its members.

Background:

PCI had several issues to be discussed and had issued notices to the Secretary on this matter as is the practise. He chose not to appear and questioned the jurisdiction of the Council to issue notices

About PCI:

The Press Council of India is a statutory body in India that governs the conduct of the print media.

• Presently, the Council functions under the Press Council Act 1978 which arose from the recommendations of the Second Press Commission of India (1978).
• The Press Council is a 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.