New PIB accreditation guidelines intend to restrict critical reporting of govt: Editors Guild
New Delhi, Feb 20: The Editors Guild of India on Sunday raised objections to the new accreditation guidelines issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), saying vague, arbitrary and draconian clauses have been included in it with an intent to restrict any critical and investigative reporting of government affairs.
It demanded that the new accreditation guidelines be withdrawn and urged the PIB to undertake "a meaningful consultation" with all the stakeholders to come up with revised guidelines.
"The Editors Guild of India is deeply concerned about the newly released Central Media Accreditation Guidelines issued by the Press Information Bureau of India, which lays down the rules for giving accreditation to journalists for accessing and reporting from the headquarters of Government of India," it said in a statement.
It noted that the new guidelines contain various new provisions under which accreditation of a journalist can be revoked, many of which are arbitrary and without any due process of law .
For instance, accreditation can be revoked if a journalist is "charged with a serious cognizable offence", or if a journalist "acts in a manner which is prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence", the Guild noted.
"It is bizarre that merely being charged has been mentioned as a ground for cancellation, it said.
The other grounds for cancellation are manifestly vague and subjective , especially since no procedures have been set out and there is no mention of the adjudicating authority that will decide on suspension, it pointed out.
"Worse still, concerned journalists have not been given an opportunity to be heard, it said adding, Most surprisingly, 'defamation' has been included as a ground for cancellation.
The Guild said that a new clause requiring police verification has been added without defining the contours of such verification.
Since no standards have been prescribed, it can grant unfettered powers to the police for denying accreditation to journalists who may be seen as critical of the government, it said.
It is clear that these vague, arbitrary, and draconian clauses have been included with an intent to restrict any critical and investigative reporting of government affairs, it added.
There are other provisions as well that are restrictive , it said.
In the case of freelance journalists, the requirements pertaining to the number of by-lines have been made unreasonably high , it said.
Furthermore, these guidelines have been introduced without any prior consultation with journalists' bodies, media organisations or any other relevant stakeholders.
The Guild therefore demands a withdrawal of these guidelines and urges the PIB to undertake meaningful consultation with all the stakeholders if it is intent on revising them, the EGI said.
The Guild has written a letter to the PIB elaborating on all these issues, it added.
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Delhi Police registers case in connection with doctored videos of Home Minister Amit Shah
New Delhi, Apr 28: The Delhi Police registered a case on Sunday after a complaint by the Ministry of Home Affairs in connection with the doctored videos of Union Home Minister Amit Shah being circulated on social media platforms, officials said.
The Special Cell has registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC and relevant provision of the IT Act, they said. Sources in the Special Cell said that now arrests are likely to follow across the country.
According to the complaint filed by Sinku Sharan Singh, DC, Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), some doctored videos are being circulated on social media with "the intent of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquility and public order."
According to the complainant, links from which the videos were shared were also attached for further action.
A copy of the FIR was also sent to the IFSO unit of the Delhi Cyber Police.
