PCI and IWPC during a meeting organized to pay condolence to Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari, who was shot dead in Srinagar recently, in New Delhi.
PTI Photo/Arun Sharma
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad addressing a seminar jointly, organised by the PCI, IWPC and the Supreme Court Lawyers Conference, in New Delhi.
Seema Mustafa, President of Editors Guild of India (EGI), spoke to Outlook about the recent spate of arrests of journalists across the country and her views on an independent press.
The Editors Guild of India said it believes that it is a free media that offers a reliable feedback loop to those in charge of governance, and therefore, "a free media is very much in the national interest".
The Press Council of India has justified the communication blockade in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that due to the security concerns there can be reasonable restrictions on the media.
Members of the Press Club of India said in a statement that they are anguished and shocked at the incident and condemned Ranaut's behaviour and language towards PTI journalist Justin Rao.
The three media bodies expressed concern over the "gradual decline in nature of political discourse, more so in a highly polarised political environment".
"The reconstitution...Undertaken by Chairman Justice (retd) C K Prasad has overlooked precedent and adopted a process to keep out certain media associations and candidates."