Days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) came out with an order curtailing the movement of the media and their access to officials in North Block, the Press Council of India (PCI) has written to the Information & Broadcasting ministry seeking details of the case and the ministry’s views on the matter. “We have taken cognizance of the matter and have issued notices to the government seeking a report on the matter,” PCI Chairperson Justice (retd) Chandramauli Kumar Prasad said Thursday. [related-post] PCI officials, when contacted, told The Indian Express that a communication was sent to the I&B ministry regarding the matter Wednesday. “Since the I&B ministry controls the Press Information Bureau that helps facilitate media access, we have asked it to provide us with complete details of the MHA directive. The ministry has also been asked to provide its views on this alleged curtailment of the movement of media in some ministries,” a PCI official said. In an order dated July 23, the MHA had designated ADG (Media) — an Indian Information Service officer — as the “single point for dissemination of all publicity material to the media including clarifications sought by media”. The order further stated that “the information flow to mediapersons will be arranged in Media Room No 9, North Block” and that “media persons will be asked by ADG (Media) that they do not have briefing/meeting with officers other than in the Media Room”.
