In an unprecedented move, the Press Council of India (PCI) took a unanimous view to serve I&B Secretary Sunil Arora with a bailable arrest warrant on Tuesday, setting the government on a collision course with the Council. Explaining the reason for the move, PCI chairperson Chandramouli Kumar Prasad said Arora had questioned the powers of the Council to serve summons directing him to appear before its members.
To a specific question why the Council took such an extreme step, Prasad said it was the unanimous decision of the 18 members who were present on April 11. "We had several issues to be discussed and had issued notices to the Secretary on this matter as is the practice but he chose not to appear and questioned the jurisdiction of the Council to issue notices," Prasad said.
According to Prasad, there were several matters concerning the powers of the Council, the autonomy and the sitting fee for executive members which required redressal. "To reduce the Council's dependence on the government, we had proposed increasing the levy fee on newspapers," Prasad said. The levy fee is paid by newspapers depending on their size/circulation to avail themselves of the services of the Council.
"It barely covers the costs here," Prasad said. The Council had also suggested increasing the sitting fee of the members from Rs. 300 per sitting to Rs. 4,000. The Ministry had agreed to make it Rs 1,000.
As matters now stand, Arora, is required to present himself at the Council on April 22. Indianmandarins has learned that the Secretary has communicated that he has the highest regard for the Council. Also, sources in the Ministry said, "salaries and emoluments are not substantive issues requiring the presence of the I&B Secretary."
Readers' Choice
L K Atheeq appointed Financial Advisor to Karnataka CM; T G Nath Add CS
Former Himachal Pradesh CS Appointed Chairperson of PSERC
K K Pant gets additional charge of Himachal Chief Secretary
Five names under consideration; K K Pant ahead in the race for Himachal CS
Lucknow Ends Ad Hoc Era: Rajiv Krishna Appointed as Regular DGP of Uttar Pradesh
PCI to serve bailable warrant to I&B Secretary
By IndianMandarins - 2016-04-14 09:43:07
In an unprecedented move, the Press Council of India (PCI) took a unanimous view to serve I&B Secretary Sunil Arora with a bailable arrest warrant on Tuesday, setting the government on a collision course with the Council. Explaining the reason for the move, PCI chairperson Chandramouli Kumar Prasad said Arora had questioned the powers of the Council to serve summons directing him to appear before its members.
To a specific question why the Council took such an extreme step, Prasad said it was the unanimous decision of the 18 members who were present on April 11. "We had several issues to be discussed and had issued notices to the Secretary on this matter as is the practice but he chose not to appear and questioned the jurisdiction of the Council to issue notices," Prasad said.
According to Prasad, there were several matters concerning the powers of the Council, the autonomy and the sitting fee for executive members which required redressal. "To reduce the Council's dependence on the government, we had proposed increasing the levy fee on newspapers," Prasad said. The levy fee is paid by newspapers depending on their size/circulation to avail themselves of the services of the Council.
"It barely covers the costs here," Prasad said. The Council had also suggested increasing the sitting fee of the members from Rs. 300 per sitting to Rs. 4,000. The Ministry had agreed to make it Rs 1,000.
As matters now stand, Arora, is required to present himself at the Council on April 22. Indianmandarins has learned that the Secretary has communicated that he has the highest regard for the Council. Also, sources in the Ministry said, "salaries and emoluments are not substantive issues requiring the presence of the I&B Secretary."
