Obscenity: Guidelines must be laid down, Press Council to SC

New Delhi, July 7 (UNI) The Press Council of India(PCI) in its response to a PIL praying to the Supreme Court to lay down some guidelines to check the menace of increasing obscene exposures in the print media, has admitted that something must be done and some guidelines can certainly be laid down.

A bench comprising Justices A R Lakshmanan and P K Balasubramanyan while fixing the matter for final hearing on August 29 observed," It is difficult to open newspaper in the drawing room." The eye opening observations of the court came during the hearing of a petition filed by one Ajay Goswami seeking to lay down some guidelines to check the menace as it adversely effects the psychology of minors and teenagers.

The PCI in its affidavit has said that unwanted exposure in the media must be checked and some court may law down appropriate guidelines and regulations for the print media so that obscenity in the media can be brought under control.

"Sexually charged photographs and vulgar SMS messages are creating problem for the society at large," the petitioner has contended.

UNI AKS/SC RP PM1912