SRINAGAR, SEPT 27: National Conference MLA Saif-ud-Din Bhat is scheduled to introduce a Private Members’ Bill in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly seeking to establish a formal framework for the registration, recognition, accreditation and responsible functioning of Digital News Publishers and Social Media News Channels operating in or from the Union Territory.
The proposed legislation seeks to bring digital news platforms within a structured framework while focusing on ownership transparency, editorial accountability, media monitoring, fact-checking and grievance redressal.
The Bill is among the Private Members’ Bills listed for introduction during Monday’s Assembly proceedings.
According to the proposed framework, digital news publishers and social-media-based news channels would be required to operate under clearly defined standards concerning their ownership and editorial functioning.
The legislation seeks to make information about ownership and those responsible for editorial decisions more transparent, thereby creating greater accountability in the digital news ecosystem.
A significant component of the proposed legislation is the establishment of mechanisms for real-time media monitoring and fact-checking.
The objective is to facilitate the identification and verification of news and information circulating through digital platforms and social-media channels.
The Bill also proposes provisions concerning the recognition and accreditation of eligible digital news publishers, potentially creating a formal mechanism through which legitimate digital media organisations can establish their credentials and access institutional channels of communication.
Another area covered by the proposed framework is editorial responsibility, with the legislation seeking to encourage responsible dissemination of news and strengthen accountability for content published through digital platforms.
The proposed law also envisages mechanisms for grievance redressal, providing a structured avenue for addressing complaints relating to digital news content and the functioning of registered or recognised publishers.
The move comes as digital news and social-media-based news channels have become an increasingly significant part of the information ecosystem.
At the national level, digital news publishers are already subject to the broader regulatory framework applicable to digital media, including provisions under the Information Technology framework.
The proposed J&K legislation would seek to establish a UT-specific framework covering registration, recognition and accreditation of digital news entities.
The Bill, therefore, seeks to address multiple aspects of digital journalism in J&K — from who owns and operates a news platform and who bears editorial responsibility to verification of information, monitoring mechanisms, accreditation and complaint redressal.
Its introduction in the Assembly would place the proposed regulatory framework before legislators for consideration and debate, with the detailed provisions of the Bill determining the precise scope of registration, accreditation, monitoring and accountability mechanisms.
