Srinagar, Sep 30: The Jammu and Kashmir Government will frame new guidelines to regulate the growing number of social media journalists and pages, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Wednesday.
Minister Sakina Itoo said a House Committee constituted to examine the issue has given the Information Department four months to formulate comprehensive guidelines. The committee, headed by senior MLA and former minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, met on July 13, 2026.
The issue was raised by National Conference MLA Bashir Veeri, while several legislators expressed concern over the mushrooming of social media journalism and sought clearer rules.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said he had asked the Government during the Budget Session to conduct a comprehensive study of the functioning of the media and formulate guidelines for action against those violating the law.
NC MLA Nazir Gurezi said anyone could pick up a mobile phone and become a journalist, leading to misuse of social media, and called for regulation. PDP MLA Waheed Para, however, cautioned against censorship, saying, “We are living in the 21st century, and demanding censorship is not the right thing.”
Itoo said the Government recognised the importance of both print and electronic media but acknowledged shortcomings in the current environment. She also said legislators and political parties could not be held entirely separate from the misuse of social media.
“Without the media — whether print or electronic — we are incomplete,” Itoo said, while noting that self-styled social media pages had increased significantly compared to accredited media organisations.
She also referred to alleged instances of social media pages being used for personal attacks and abusive content, including pages associated with political interests.
Itoo suggested that legislators and journalists should not be permitted to carry mobile phones inside the Assembly. She said the Information Department would formulate a comprehensive policy covering rules, regulations and scrutiny, and assured that strict action would follow in cases of established malpractice.