PM Modi directs to withdraw guidelines to stop fake news

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and the matter should only be addressed in Press Council of India, according to Prime Minister's Office.

This statement comes a day after the Centre made amendments to the guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists.

A release, issued on Monday, said that the Press Council of India (PCI) and News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the two regulatory bodies for print and television media respectively, will determine whether the news is fake or not.

"Determination is expected to be completed within 15 days by these regulating agencies. Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the correspondent or journalist whoever created or propagated the fake news will, if accredited, have the accreditation suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies mentioned above," the press release read.

The Accreditation Committee of the PIB, which consists of representative of both PCI and NBA, shall be invariably reached out for validating the accreditation request of any news media agency.

"While any confirmation of publication or telecast of fake news having been confirmed by any of these agencies, the accreditation shall be suspended for a period of six months in the first violation and for one year in the case of second violation and in the event of third violation it would be cancelled permanently," the release added.

The press release further justified the amendment by claiming, "While examining the requests seeking accreditation, the regulatory agencies will examine whether the 'Norms of Journalistic Conduct' and 'Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards' prescribed by the PCI and NBA respectively are adhered to by the journalists as part of their functioning. It would be obligatory for journalists to abide by these guidelines".