Press Council of India (PCI) is a statutory autonomous body established for the purpose of preserving the freedom of the press, and of maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India.  The Council is headed by a Chairman, who is nominated by a Committee consisting of Chairman of Council of States (Rajya Sabha), the Speaker of the House of the People (Lok Sabha), and a person elected from amongst the Members of the Press Council.  Majority of the members of the Council belong to the journalistic fraternity whereas three of them are nominated, one each by the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India and Sahitya Akademi and five Members are Members of Parliament of whom two are nominated from Rajya Sabha and three nominated from the Lok Sabha.  The Press Council deliberates on the complaints received either by the press or against the press.  The Council is empowered to make observation in respect of conduct of any authority including the Government.  If it is considered necessary, it can warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist.  The decision of the Council cannot be questioned in any court of law.  Notwithstanding the fact that a substantial part of its funds is augmented from the Government, it has full functional autonomy and is independent of Government control in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.

For more information visit our home page at http://presscouncil.nic.in/