NEW DELHI: Former
Supreme Court judge, Justice (retd)
Ranjana Desai, was on Tuesday appointed chairperson of the Press Council of India, the self-regulatory watchdog for print media. She replaces Justice (retd) CK Prasad who vacated office in November, 2021. The office of PCI chairman has been lying vacant since then.
Justice (retd) Desai is currently chairperson of the Delimitation Commission of India.
Her appointment was approved by a three-member selection committee comprising the Lok Sabha Speaker, Rajya Sabha chairman and one member of the PCI chosen by its members.
In the past, she served as public prosecutor for the state of
Maharashtra and as a judge of the Bombay HC.
Apart from needing to tackle pending complaints received against print media, Justice (Retd) Desai’s appointment is significant since it is the crucial missing piece in the three-member search and selection committee that is responsible for the appointment of the Prasar Bharati chairman and chief executive. While the public services broadcaster has had no chairman since its last incumbent Surya Prakash stepped down, former CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati stepped down last week after completing a five-year tenure.
While the government had given additional charge as CEO to director general DD News, Mayank Agarwal, the government the mandated search committee will now be in a position to meet. Apart from PCI chairperson, other members of the search committee include the Vice-President of India and the I&B secretary.