Contents of Complaint in respect of a newspaper, news agency, editor or other working journalist under section 14 (1) of the Act
3 (1) Where a person makes a complaint to the Council in respect of the publication or non-publication of any matter in any newspaper or news agency, under Section 14(1) of the Act he shall file the complaint in duplicate with sufficient copies for the respondents listed and shall :
a) furnish the name and address of the newspaper; news agency, editor or other working journalist against which or whom the complaint is preferred and in cases where the complaint relates to the publication of matter in a newspaper or to the transmission by a news agency, forward along with the complaint a cutting of the matter complained of in original or a self attested copy thereof and such other particulars as are relevant to the subject-matter of the complaint; and where the complaint is in respect of non-publication of matter, the original or a self attested copy of the matter, non-publication of which is complained of; (English translation of the matter if it is in vernacular).
b) state in what manner the publication or non-publication of the matter complained of is objectionable within the meaning of Section 14(1) of the Act;
c) before filing the complaint before the Council, draw the attention of the newspaper, news agency, editor or other working journalist concerned, to the matter appearing in the newspaper etc. or to the non-publication thereof which, in the opinion of the complainant, concerned, to the matter appearing in the newspaper etc. or to the non-publication thereof which, in the opinion of the complainant, is objectionable, and he shall also furnish to the newspaper, news agency, editor or the working journalist, as the case may be, the grounds for holding such opinion. The complainant shall, along with the complaint, enclose a copy of the letter written by him to the newspaper, news agency, editor or other working journalist together with a copy of the reply, if any received by him, provided that the Chairman may in his discretion waive this condition
d) in case where the complaint is that an editor or a working journalist has committed any professional misconduct, other than the way of the publication or non-publication of any matter in a newspaper, the complainant shall set out clearly in detail the facts which according to him justify the complaint and the provisions of clause (c) above shall also apply to such complaints.
e) in every case place all other relevant facts before the Council; and
f) (i) In the case of a complaint relating to the publication or non- publication of any matter in respect of newspaper or news agency the same shall be lodged with the Council within the following periods of its publication or non publication:
A. Dailies, News agencies and Weeklies |
within 2 months |
B. In all other cases |
within 4 months |
Provided that a relevant publication of an earlier date may be referred to in the complaint.
(ii) In the case of a complaint against an editor or working journalist under clause (d) above the same shall be lodged within 4 months of the misconduct complained of:
[Provided that the Chairman may, if satisfied that the complainant has acted promptly, but that the delay in filing the complaint within the period prescribed under sub clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) of Regulation 3 (1) (f) has been caused by reason of the time taken to comply with the condition laid down in sub clause (c) supra or on account of other sufficient cause condone the delay and entertain the complaint]
(2) The complainant while presenting the complaint shall at the foot thereof make and subscribe to a declaration to the effect:
(i) that to the best of his knowledge and belief he has placed all the relevant facts before the Council and that no proceedings are pending in any Court of Law in respect of any matter alleged in the complaint.
(ii) that he shall inform the Council forthwith if during the pendency of the of the inquiry before the Council any matter alleged in the complaint becomes the subject-matter of any proceeding in a Court of Law.