Justice Ranjana Desai Returns as Press Council Chief
Former Supreme Court judge begins second term as PCI chair while major journalist seats remain unfilled
- Ranjana Prakash Desai assumes charge as PCI Chairperson
- Appointed for second three-year term
- Multiple journalist seats in Press Council remain vacant
- Calls grow for broader media reforms and institutional strengthening
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th April: Former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai has officially taken charge as Chairperson of the Press Council of India (PCI), ending months of uncertainty over the leadership of the country’s top print media regulatory body.
Justice Desai assumed office on April 24, 2026, for her second three-year term after previously serving as PCI Chairperson from June 2022 to December 2025.
Despite her appointment, the reconstitution of the 15th Press Council remains incomplete, with several key journalist-designated positions still vacant.
Of the 29-member statutory body, 14 seats remain unfilled, including all 13 positions reserved for professional journalists — comprising working journalists and editors.
The vacancies have sparked concerns over delayed institutional functioning and reduced representative legitimacy, particularly after parliamentary questions were raised regarding the urgent need for a fully constituted council.
The crisis intensified following controversial proposals to alter representation norms by involving press clubs, a move opposed by several journalist unions and media bodies.
Critics argue that press clubs often lack comprehensive professional representation, unlike national journalist unions which more accurately reflect the interests of working media professionals.
Established under the Press Council Act of 1965 and operational since 1966, PCI primarily oversees print journalism standards and addresses complaints against newspapers, editors and journalists.
However, with India’s rapidly expanding digital, television and satellite news ecosystem, demands are increasing for broader reforms to expand PCI’s jurisdiction beyond print media and strengthen its regulatory authority.
Justice Desai’s return comes at a pivotal moment as debates intensify over the future role, relevance and modernization of India’s media oversight framework.
