Srinagar, Sept 30: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is set to introduce a new Media Policy, 2026, aimed at regulating the functioning of online news platforms and addressing concerns over unregistered and unregulated social media news handles disseminating misleading or fabricated information.
Minister for Information and Public Relations Sakina Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly that the proposed policy would include provisions for the registration and regulation of online news media platforms, while also putting in place mechanisms to fix accountability for misleading content.
The issue came up during proceedings after MLA Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri raised a question regarding the regulation of social media news platforms. The matter subsequently triggered a broader discussion in the House, with several legislators expressing concern over the functioning of unregistered digital news portals and social media handles.
In its reply, the government said the issue of misleading and false information being disseminated through unregistered and unregulated digital and social media news channels had already been discussed in detail during the previous Budget Session.
As per the Government’s commitment to effectively address the issue, the Information Department is soon going to issue New Media Policy, 2026, wherein, besides print media, adequate provisions for registration and regulation of the Online News Media Platforms have been incorporated to ensure their accountability, the government said.
Districts to maintain database of unregistered handles
The government said that, following directions issued during the July 30, 2026 meeting of the House Committee on Government Assurances, headed by Ali Mohammad Sagar, the Information Department would formulate comprehensive guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to address the issue.
Under the proposed mechanism, District Administrations would maintain detailed lists of unregistered social media news handles operating in their respective districts.
The government said action would be taken under applicable laws wherever individuals or platforms are found disseminating false, misleading or fabricated information through social media.
It referred to provisions of the **Information Technology Act, 2000, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 in this regard.
JK4C to coordinate cybercrime response
The government also informed the House that the J&K Home Department has established the J&K Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (JK4C) under the superintendence and control of the Director General of Police, J&K.
The centre, it said, coordinates efforts aimed at preventing, detecting and investigating cybercrimes in the Union Territory.
The government further said the Social Media Cell of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR)regularly monitors news appearing in print, electronic and social media through its dedicated fake and misleading news monitoring mechanism.
“When any news item is found fake or misleading, the rebuttal of the same is issued through the Social Media Handles of the Department on real-time basis,” the government said.
Such rebuttals are also sent to newspapers for publication in their immediate next editions and uploaded on the official DIPR website, it added.
Proposed policy to cover fake news, plagiarism
The government said the proposed J&K Media Policy would also provide for monitoring content relating to fake news, plagiarism and unethical or anti-national activities.
It would also contain provisions concerning the de-empanelment of media houses and withholding of government advertisements in certain cases, according to the reply.
The government referred to the existing legal framework governing social media portals, YouTube news channels and websites, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the **Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
It also cited provisions of the BNS and BNSS dealing with online offences, public order, threats, misinformation and other unlawful activities.
At the same time, the government referred to the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2).
Social media regulation sparks debate in Assembly
The government’s response came amid a wider debate in the Assembly over the growing influence of social media and the functioning of unregistered digital news platforms.
NC MLAs Tanvir Sadiq, Altaf Kaloo and Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri called for greater regulation of unregistered and unregulated portals.
Kaloo, while referring to an incident involving him that was captured on camera inside the Assembly, complained that social media platforms were making private moments public.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said the media played an important role as a bridge between the government and the people, but argued that those not functioning professionally should face action under an appropriate legal framework.
“The media should be regulated. That is good. But there should be some law on it. A law should be made,” the Speaker said, according to the proceedings.
He emphasised that any regulatory mechanism should operate within the law and also said action should be taken against those who were not functioning professionally.
NC MLA Ghulam Nabi Gurezi also expressed concern over the functioning of social media platforms and supported the need for a legal framework to regulate the sector.
Parra raises issue of conduct inside House
During the discussion, PDP MLA Waheed Parra was allowed by the Speaker to speak on the issue.
Referring to Kaloo’s complaint, Parra said that whether a member consumed chewing gum or gutkha inside the Assembly, both were inappropriate, according to the proceedings.
The debate also turned to the role of politicians themselves in driving the growth of social media.
Itoo: Political parties also responsible for social media boom
Responding to the discussion, Itoo said political parties and elected representatives also contributed to the rapid expansion of social media by actively using platforms to publicise their activities.
“These days, we are also responsible for social media boom. We all keep our PROs engaged to ensure that our activities get flashed on social media,” she said.
She also raised concerns over social media accounts allegedly being operated in the names of others and criticised what she described as inappropriate content being published through some such accounts.
Itoo said media professionals should not be blamed in every instance, but pointed to the growing gap between registered and unregistered journalists.
“The problem is that number of registered journalists is less than that of unregistered journalists,” she said.
She also suggested that mobile phones should be kept outside the Assembly during proceedings and that “mobile journalists” should not be permitted to carry phones inside the House.
Referring to the way discussions inside the Assembly are subsequently presented online, Itoo said even conversations among members could be portrayed differently on social media.
“I consider Dy CM as my brother. But when we talk here in House and discuss anything, it is flashed on social media in a weird manner,” she said, seeking strict action against such portals.
The government said the proposed ‘Media Policy, 2026’ would seek to balance accountability in the digital media space with the existing legal and constitutional framework governing freedom of speech and expression.
