Press Council Act, 1978
14.Power to censure.-
(1) where on receipt of a complaint made to it
or otherwise, the Council has reason believe that a newspaper or news agency has
offended against the standards or journalist ethics or public taste or that an
editor or a working journalist has committed any professional; misconduct, the
council may, after giving the newspaper, or news agency, the editor or
journalist concerned an opportunity of being heard, hold an inquiry in such
Annett as may be provided by regulations made under this Act and, if it is
satisfied that it is necessary so to do, it may, for reasons to be recorded in
writing, warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency, the editor
or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist, as
the case may be:
Provided that the council may not take
cognizance of a compliant of in the opinion of the chairman there is no
sufficient ground for holding an inquiry.
(2) If the council is of the opinion that it
is necessary or expedient in the public interest so to do, it may require any
newspapers to publish therein in such manner as the council thinks, fir any
particulars relating to any inquiry under this section against a newspaper or
news agency, an editor or a journalist working therein, including the name of
such newspaper, news agency, editor or journalist.
(3) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed
to empower the council to hold an inquiry into any matter in respect of which
any proceeding is pending in a court of law.
(4) the decision of the council under
sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) as the case may be shall be final and shall
not be questioned in any court of law.