Government says policy will include registration and regulation of online news media; districts to maintain database of unregistered social media news handles
Srinagar, Sept 30: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that a new Media Policy, 2026, will soon be issued to address the functioning of unregistered and unregulated digital and social media news platforms and ensure accountability in cases involving misleading or fabricated information.
The government made the statement in response to a question tabled by MLA Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri regarding the regulation of social media handlers.
Giving the reply in the house, Minister Sakina Itoo said that, the Information Department said the issue of dissemination of misleading and false information by unregistered and unregulated digital and social media news channels was discussed in detail during the previous Budget Session of 2026, with legislators from different political parties highlighting the need to fix accountability.
“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.
The government further said that, as per 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/SOPs.
The proposed mechanism would require District Administrations to maintain detailed lists of unregistered social media news handles operating in their respective districts.
The government said cases would be filed under relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, wherever anyone is found disseminating false, misleading or fabricated information through social media platforms.
It also said 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, for coordinating efforts to prevent, detect and investigate cybercrimes in the Union Territory.
The government said the Social Media Cell of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), J&K, regularly tracks and examines news appearing in print, electronic and social media through its dedicated fake/misleading news monitoring mechanism.
“As soon as 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,” it said.
The department said such rebuttals are also sent for publication in the immediate next edition of newspapers and uploaded on the official DIPR website.
The government further referred to the proposed J&K Media Policy and said it provides for monitoring content for fake news, plagiarism and unethical or anti-national activities, besides provisions relating to de-empanelment of media houses or withholding government advertisements in certain cases.
The reply also outlined the existing legal framework applicable to 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 further referred to provisions of the BNS and BNSS dealing with online harms, public order, threats, misinformation and other offences, while also highlighting constitutional protection of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2).
The government said the proposed regulatory framework would seek to address misinformation while ensuring accountability across digital platforms.
