Parliament Question: Complaints pendency with Press Council of India

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3915 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026 COMPLAINTS PENDENCY WITH PRESS COUNCIL OF INDIA

3915. SHRI SAKET GOKHALE:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of complaints pending with the Press Council of India (PCI) as of January 2026, categorized by those pending for over one, two and five years;

(b) the number of instances where the Council exercised its powers to ‘censure’ or ‘admonish’ offenders in the last five years; and

(c) the current number of vacancies among the 28 members of the Council and how these vacancies have contributed to the backlog? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION & BROADCASTING;

AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a) to (c): The total number of complaints pending with the Press Council of India as of January 2026, categorised by those pending for over one, two and five years are as under:

Period No. of complaints pending with PCI 1-2 years 463 2-5 years 301 >5 years 313 Total 1077In the last five years (from 2020-21 to 2024-25), the Council exercised its powers to ‘censure’ or ‘admonish’ offenders in 48 instances.

The Press Council of India consists of a Chairperson and 28 members. Out of 28 members, 14 members of 15th Press Council have been notified vide Gazette notifications dated 19.12.2024 and

02.12.2025. The quorum for conducting meetings of the Council is 11 members, as per Regulation 4 of the Press Council (Procedure for Conduct of Meetings and Business) Regulations, 1979. ********