Date:24/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/24/stories/2005022402851300.htm

National

Justice G.N. Ray tipped to be Press Council chief

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 23. Justice Ganendra Narayan Ray, retired judge of the Supreme Court, is likely to be the next Chairman of the Press Council of India. He will succeed Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy (retd.) whose extended term ended on February 7. As per the statutory requirement, the selection of the Press Council Chairman is entrusted to a high-power committee, consisting of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and one eminent journalist. The selection committee makes its recommendation to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which, in turn, announces the appointment.

The current selection panel — the Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, and Hiranmay Karlekar, — met yesterday and made its choice.

The announcement is expected in a day or two.