SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced that it will soon bring into force a comprehensive New Media Policy 2026, a regulatory framework designed to govern online news platforms and rein in unregistered social media news handles that have been accused of spreading misleading or fabricated information. The announcement was made in the Legislative Assembly by Minister for Higher Education Sakina Itoo, who said the proposed policy would contain provisions for the registration and regulation of online news media platforms, while simultaneously establishing accountability mechanisms for publishers and handlers of digital content. The issue came up for discussion after MLA Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri raised a question on the regulation of social media news platforms, prompting a significant debate in the House with several legislators expressing serious concern over the functioning of unregistered digital news portals and social media handles operating in the Union Territory with no apparent checks or oversight. In its detailed reply, the Government stated that the matter of false and misleading information being disseminated through unregistered and unregulated digital and social media news channels had already been discussed at length during the previous Budget Session. The Government further noted that, in line with its commitment to effectively address the issue, the Information Department was preparing to issue the New Media Policy 2026, in which, besides print media, adequate provisions for the registration and regulation of Online News Media Platforms had been incorporated to ensure their accountability and to bring them within the ambit of law.
The Government also informed the Legislative Assembly that, following directions issued during the July 30, 2026 meeting of the House Committee on Government Assurances, chaired by Ali Mohammad Sagar, the Information Department would formulate comprehensive guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to deal with the growing challenge of fake and misleading content distributed through social media. Under the proposed mechanism, District Administrations across the Union Territory would be tasked with maintaining detailed lists of unregistered social media news handles operating in their respective districts, thereby creating a localised database that could be used for monitoring and enforcement purposes. The Government declared that action would be initiated under applicable laws wherever individuals or platforms are found disseminating false, misleading or fabricated information through social media. In this regard, the Government specifically referred to the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The proposed Media Policy is also expected to include explicit provisions covering content related to fake news, plagiarism, and unethical or anti-national activities, and it may contain clauses concerning the de-empanelment of media houses and the withholding of government advertisements in cases where violation of norms is established. This signals a clear intent on the part of the administration to create a legally enforceable mechanism that not only requires online platforms to register but also ensures that those who fail to comply face consequences, including possible exclusion from government accreditation and advertisement support.
The Government’s reply went on to outline the existing legal framework that currently governs social media portals, YouTube news channels, websites and other digital intermediaries. It referred to the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which provide a structure for intermediaries to follow while hosting user-generated content and digital news. The reply also cited provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, dealing with online offences, public order, threats, misinformation and other unlawful activities. These laws empower authorities to act against individuals or entities that use digital media to disturb public order, spread panic, or engage in activities detrimental to national security and social harmony. At the same time, the Government drew attention to the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India, while underscoring that this right is subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2). This balanced interpretation is significant because it acknowledges the role of a free press and independent digital media in a democracy, while also asserting the need for regulation to prevent abuse of that freedom. By framing the forthcoming policy within this constitutional context, the Government appears to be attempting to strike a careful balance between protecting fundamental rights and ensuring that media platforms do not become conduits for misinformation, communal disharmony, defamation, or other unlawful content.
In addition to the proposed policy, the Government informed the House about the institutional mechanisms already in place to monitor and counter misleading content. 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. This centre is responsible for coordinating efforts aimed at preventing, detecting and investigating cybercrimes across the Union Territory, including crimes emanating from or propagated through social media platforms and online news portals. The Government further stated that 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. This cell functions as a rapid response unit of sorts, scanning content across platforms for fabricated reports, doctored images, rumours, and content that could potentially disturb public order. According to the Government, when any news item is found to be fake or misleading, the rebuttal of the same is issued through the Social Media Handles of the Department on a real-time basis. This suggests that the administration is not relying solely on punitive action but is also attempting to counter misinformation with timely and accurate official communication. Together, the JK4C and the DIPR Social Media Cell represent the operational layer of the government’s strategy, complementing the regulatory framework that is expected to be introduced under the New Media Policy 2026.
The legislative debate on the issue saw several MLAs expressing strong support for tighter regulation of digital news platforms. NC MLAs Tanvir Sadiq, Altaf Kaloo and Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri all called for greater regulation of unregistered and unregulated portals, arguing that the unchecked proliferation of unauthorised news websites and social media channels posed a serious risk to public trust and social stability. They emphasised that while genuine journalistic expression should not be stifled, there had to be a credible system to distinguish between credible journalism and arbitrary content masquerading as news. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather made significant remarks during the discussion, observing that the media played an important role as a bridge between the government and the people, particularly in a region like Jammu and Kashmir where communication and information flows carry unique sensitivity. However, he argued that media entities and individuals who were not functioning professionally should face action under an appropriate legal framework. He was quoted as saying that the media should be regulated, and that there should be a law on the subject, adding that a law should be made to make regulation effective and binding. His remarks carried additional weight because they came from the presiding officer of the House, signalling a broad political consensus on the need for a statutory mechanism rather than merely administrative guidelines. 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, further underscoring the cross-party sentiment that unregulated digital media had become a challenge requiring legislative intervention.
The proposed J&K Media Policy 2026, therefore, arrives at a time when governments across India are grappling with the global challenge of regulating the digital media landscape. The rapid growth of online news platforms, the ease with which websites and social media handles can be created, and the sheer speed at which content spreads have made regulation both more urgent and more complex. In Jammu and Kashmir, this complexity is heightened by the Union Territory’s unique security environment, where misinformation can have particularly serious consequences. By combining registration requirements, district-level monitoring, legal action under existing statutes, and institutional coordination through the JK4C and DIPR’s Social Media Cell, the Government is attempting to construct a multi-layered response to the problem. The inclusion of provisions for de-empanelment and withdrawal of government advertisements indicates that financial incentives will be used to encourage compliance and deter unethical behaviour. At the same time, the explicit reference to constitutional protections of free speech acknowledges that any regulatory framework must respect democratic norms and legal boundaries. As the Information Department prepares to issue the final policy, the debate in the Legislative Assembly has made it clear that elected representatives across party lines expect a robust, legally grounded framework that can hold unregistered digital media accountable without undermining legitimate journalism. The success of the policy will depend on its implementation, clarity, and the transparency of the processes it establishes, but the government’s commitment to issuing the New Media Policy 2026 represents a significant step forward in bringing order to Jammu and Kashmir’s increasingly crowded online news ecosystem.
