According to a circular issued by the directorate of information and publicity department, if any officer associated with the Delhi government feels that the published or aired news item damages his or the government's reputation, he should file a complaint with the principal secretary (home).
“In such case, a reference letter will be sent to the principal secretary (home) containing details of the defamatory imputation published, the mode of publication, factual inaccuracy, details of allegations made and ground for believing that it will harm the reputation of the person against whom the imputation has been made,” a senior officer said.
According to the official, the principal secretary (home) will then examine the matter and will also seek the opinion of the director (prosecution) as to whether the prosecution under section 499/500 of the IPC is to be launched.
If as per the opinion of the director (prosecution), offence of defamation is made out the principal secretary will refer the matter to the law department for examining the matter and obtain the sanction of under section 199(4) of the CrPc.
After the sanction of the government is obtained, the home department will forward the case to the public prosecutor for making a complaint under Section 199(2) of the CrPc.
The move came just a few days after, Delhi government issued order for close monitoring of all news channels.
Meanwhile, the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party strongly condemned the circular brought out by the Arvind Kejriwal government threatening action against media.
The BJP said that the circular is the "result of repeated exposures by media of the Kejriwal government's misdeeds".
This is another proof of “anarchist, authoritarian approach” of the Arvind Kejriwal government, the party said.