Soni backs Justice Katju for debate on self regulation

Advocating self regulation in the broadcast sector, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Thursday defended Press Council chairman Justice Katju for initiating a debate on whether to have a regulatory body and for raising the issue in public.

The minister also asked the self-regulatory bodies in the broadcast sector to increase their memberships for effective participation of all sections and be sensitive to the needs of the public.

This, she said, would help reflect the true status of the broadcasting sector and help in effective participation of smaller players in the sector.

"Self regulatory mechanism has been in place and they should keep hearing the public voices in this regard and work accordingly," Soni said while addressing a public discussion on "Strengthening self-regulation of advertising content" organised by the Advertising Standards Council of India.

On Justice Katju's comments that self-regulation had not worked in the broadcast sector, she said, "please do not misunderstand Justice Katju. He is a very eminent jurist. Even during his tenure as a Supreme Court judge, he gave some very path-breaking judgments."

She said he has initiated a very important debate. The issue he has again brought to the public arena is one which has been raised by Justice P B Sawant and Justice G N Ray. A GoM was constituted in January this year in this regard.

"In a democracy, unless you have a debate and dialogue on issues, especially which are of concern to the common person, you cannot arrive at a final solution. I think Justice Katju and a man of his eminence has rearticulated issues which are being raised from time to time. But no one has taken any firm step on them. Let there be a debate. Yesterday (Wednesday) also, he had initiated a debate and something will come out of it," she said.