Former SC Judge Markandey Katju appointed Chairman of Press Council of India (PCI)

Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju was appointed as the new chairman of media regulator Press Council of India (PCI) on 5 October 2011. The appointment of Justice Katju, who retired from the apex court on 19 September 2011 was cleared by a committee headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari and included Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. In exercise of the powers conferred by the sub-section (2) of section 5 of the Press Council Act, 1978 (37 of 1978), the Central Government notified notified his appointment as the Chairman of the Press Council of India.

He succeeded Justice G N Ray. 

Justice Katju was first appointed a judge of the Allahabad high court in  1981.

He delivered landmark judgements that included favouring passive euthanasia, death penalty for honour killings, capital punishment for policemen involved in fake encounters and wanted the corrupt to be hanged from the lamp post.

Before his stint in the Supreme Court, Justice Katju served as a Judge of the Allahabad High Court in 1991 and as its acting Chief Justice in August 2004. He was then appointed as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court in November 2004 and went on to become the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in October 2005.

He was appointed as the Judge of the Supreme Court in April 2006 and he retired on 19 September 2011.
Katju has written several books which include publications such as Law in the Scientific Era and Interpretation of Taxing Statutes, among others.

The Press Council of India (PCI) is the apex media regulator of  the country. The Press Council of India is a statutory, quasi judicial body which acts as a watchdog of the media. Its chairman by convention is a retired judge of the Supreme Court.