Assam Rifles communication to be kept in abeyance

An Assam Rifles communication in Nagaland that has an adverse bearing on the freedom of the press shall be kept in abeyance after the Press Council of India today heard the representatives of the Editors, the State Government of Nagaland and the Assam Rifles on the issue here.
The Press Council of India had taken suo motu cognizance of news reports regarding the Assam Rifles Notice dated 24/10/2015 and when editorials were blank for a day in Nagaland newspapers, PCI Chairman Justice C K Prasad said.
The Council conducted a hearing here today with regard to the notice issued by Assam Rifles under the "Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967" to Nagaland Newspapers, Justice Prasad said.

The Council heard the representatives of the Editors, the State Government of Nagaland and the Assam Rifles on the issue, Justice Prasad said.
The representatives of Assam Rifles stated that the communication dated 24/10/2015 shall be kept in abeyance, he said.
It was agreed that all the stakeholders - Editors, State Government and Assam Rifles - shall meet and seek to resolve the issues bearing in mind the larger national interest and need to preserve the freedom of the Press the PCI chief said.

"They shall make a report to the Press Council of India on the outcome of their deliberations. The matter is adjourned. We are happy with the outcome. Hope we were able to preserve the freedom of press and at the same time keep the national interest in mind," Justice Prasad said.

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Meanwhile, the Press Council concluded its three-day sitting today with its Inquiry Committee hearing 34 cases into alleged threats to free functioning of the Press or deviation from the high standard expected from it and disposed off 31 of them.
Stating this, Justice Prasad said the Committee heard five cases from Assam, nine from North East states and the rest from West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand.
The Inquiry Committee will make its report to the full Council in these matters for final adjudication, he said.
During the course of its other deliberations, the Council today adjudicated 20 matters based on the report of the Committee and disposed off other 60 matters where oral inquiry was not warranted.

The Council discussed the orders issued by the Union Home Ministry restraining bureaucrats from sharing information with journalists as also its report on fact finding team on killing/assault of journalists in Assam and Andhra Pradesh.
Stating 26 journalists in Assam were killed in the last 25 years, a member of the Journalists' Safety Council of the PCI said "In 2013 we had been to all the places where journalists were killed. Not a single case has been resolved so far."
The PCI chairman said "We have recommended that there should be a separate law for the protection of journalists, their cases should be referred to a fast track court and be resolved within one year of being tried."

Payment of compensation to be paid to the family of the slain journalists has also been recommended to the government, he said.
Justice Prasad also said though the electronic media was not under the purview of the Press Council of India when it was established in 1966 as only print media existed then, the PCI jurisdiction has, however, now been extended to the electronic media.