The Tamil Nadu government has filed yet another status report in the Madras High Court stating that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has consented to constitution of a Press Council of Tamil Nadu (PCTN) as directed by a Division Bench of the court in August last. The latest report states that the process of obtaining approval from the competent authorities for the constitution of such a council would be completed within a short time, after the urban local body polls.
In his first status report before the court, the Director of Information and Public Relations V.P. Jeyaseelan had stated that though the Legislative Assembly could pass a law for the constitution of a Press Council of Tamil Nadu, it would be able to govern only the print and not electronic/online media and therefore the government was of the view that it could not show partiality among the media and therefore, it might not be feasible to establish such a body.
However, subsequently, the Director said the Chief Minister has consented to form the PCTN as directed by a Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran (since retired) and P. Velmurugan and that a Government Order would also be issued soon, notifying the Tamil Nadu State News Media Representative Accreditation Rules of 2021 which would bring in new regulations for accreditation of journalists in the State.
The submissions were made before the first Division Bench of Chief Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy before whom the case was being listed now for reporting compliance. After recording the submission made by the State, the judges adjourned the matter by four weeks.
