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 Higher Education Sakina Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly today 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.
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.
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.
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).
NC MLAs Tanvir Sadiq, Altaf Kaloo and Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri called for greater regulation of unregistered and unregulated portals.
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,” he said.
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.