Ex-Top court judge Ranjana Desai is new Press Council of India chief

Former Supreme Court judge, Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, was on Tuesday appointed chairperson of the Press Council of India, the self-regulatory watchdog for medium. 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 prosecuting attorney for the state of Maharashtra and as a judge of the Bombay HC.

Apart from wanting to tackle pending complaints received against medium, Justice (Retd) Desai’s appointment is critical since it's the crucial missing piece within the three-member search and selection committee that's to blame for the appointment of the Prasar Bharati chairman and chief executive. 

While the general 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 govt had given additional charge as CEO to director general DD News, Mayank Agarwal, the govt the mandated search committee will now be during a position to fulfill. other than PCI chairperson, other members of the search committee include the Vice-President of India and therefore the I&B secretary.