As per the rule 12 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has given its authority to register the “Print and Digital Media Association (PADMA)” as a Level-II Self Regulatory Body (SRB) for publishers of news and current affairs content.
According to a press statement issued by the MIB, the PADMA’s panel includes Justice Mool Chand Garg, a former High Court Judge, as Chairperson; Senior bureaucrat and journalist Ashok Kumar Tandon and Manoj Kumar Mishra, a senior writer and journalist, as members.
The statement also added that any change in the composition of the body and/or the membership of the publishers shall be informed to the Ministry as soon as such change takes place.
According to MIB, PADMA shall perform functions laid down in the sub-rules (4) and (5) of rule 12 for the purpose of redressing grievances related to Code of Ethics under the Rules. Additionally, the body shall also ensure that the member publishers have agreed to adhere to the provisions of the Rules, including furnishing the requisite information under rule 18 of the Rules.