Srinagar, Mar 14: The Press Council of India (PCI) has issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir government and its Information department over banning of advertisements to ‘Greater Kashmir’ and ‘Kashmir Reader’ newspapers.
“The Press Council of India has taken cognisance on the complaint by Kashmir Editors Guild and protest by the major newspapers of Kashmir by way of running front page blanks on 11-03-2019 for non-issuance of government advertisements to two leading newspapers of the valley — namely Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Reader without giving any reasons,” the PCI said in a statement.
“A notice for Statement in Reply has been issued to the government of Jammu and Kashmir and the State Information Department,” it said.
“The council views with concern such incident, which tends to undermine the freedom of press.”
In February, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had suspended advertisements to the two newspapers without specifying a reason.
Major English and Urdu newspapers in the state published blank front pages on past Sunday to protest the government’s suspension of advertising to the dailies.
The first pages of the newspapers part of the Kashmir Editors Guild read: “In protest against unexplained denial of government advertisements to Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Reader.”
