[THE
ASSAM PRESS CORRESPONDENTS (ACCREDITATION/RECOGNITION) RULES, 1989][1] WHEREAS it is considered necessary and expedient to
frame new rules relating to Press Accreditation/ Recognition and matters
incidental thereto the Governor of Assam is pleased to make the following
rules. These
Rules may be called the Assam Press Correspondents (Accreditation/Recognition)
Rules, 1989. These
Rules will come into force from the date[2] of
their notification in the Official Gazette and on such notification, these
rules superseeede all such rules which were already in force. In
these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires. (a) "Government"
means the State Government of Assam; (b) "Director"
means the Director of Information and Public Relations, Government of Assam
appointed at such by the Government; (c) "Press
Accreditation Committee" means the Committee" set up by the
Government under these rules; (d) "Accredited
Correspondent" means a correspondent who has been granted accreditation in
accordance with the procedure prescribed by these rules; (e) "Recognised
Correspondent" means correspondent who has been granted recognition in
accordance with the procedure prescribed by these rules; (f) "Press
Correspondent" means a correspondent representing any Newspaper/News
Agencies as defined in Working Journalists (Conditions of Service and
Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955 & employed as a whole time
correspondent by the employer of News Paper/News Agency; (g) "Stringer"
means a correspondent not in the whole time employment of any News paper/News
Agency and who is paid a retainer's fee as per the Wage Board Regulations for
working Journalists; (h) "Editor"
means the person who is declared as the Editor under the Press and Registration
of Books Act, 1967; (i) "Newspaper"
means a daily, biweekly, tri-weekly, weekly and such other periodical
publication containing Public news and comments on public news; (j) "Press
Photographer" means a photographer representing any newspaper and employed
as a whole time photographer by the employer of the newspaper concern. There
will be two types of cards-one denoting accreditation and other recognition.
The accreditation/recognition card will be given only to those who fulfil the
conditions laid down in these rules. "(1) The Government shall constitute a
Committee consisting of 10 (ten), members, eight of whom will be nominated from
amongst Editors and Working Journalists of different categories of News papers
and representatives of recognised Journalists bodies. The Chief Secretary to
the Government of Assam or his nominee will be the Chairman of the Committee
and the Director of Information and Public Relation Assam will act as its
Member Secretary". (2) Term of the Committee.The normal term of
the Press Accreditation Committee shall be for two years; but the Government
may in special circumstances, extend the term of the Committee for any period
not exceeding one year. (3) The Committee shall meet once in every
three months by giving seven clear days notice to the members, but an emergent
meeting may, however, be called after giving 48 hours notice. (4) The four members of the Committee shall
form a Quorum for a meeting. Upon
receipt of the application of any matter relating accreditation/recognition of
Press Correspond, the Director of Information & Public Relations shall
refer such matter with relevant information to the Press Accreditation
Committee for disposal. (1) Application for
accreditation/recognition shall be made by a correspondent through the
Editor/Management of the Newspaper, or news agency in which he is employed, to
the Director of Information & Public Relations, Assam for accreditation
/recognition at the State Level. (2) In regard to the
recognition at District Level the application for recognition shall be made through
the District Information & Public Relations Officer of the District
concerned to the Director of Information and Public Relations Officer shall
while forwarding the application certify that the applicant has not been
convicted in a court of law for committing offence involving moral turpitude or
criminal extortion in the course of acting in his profession, provided that in
no circumstances the District Information and Public Relations Officer shall
withold any such application. The District Information and Public Relations
Officer shall forward the application of a correspondent for grant of
recognition after a through examination to the Director of Information and
Public Relations, Assam. Who, in turn shall place the same before the Press
Accreditation Committee for disposal. (1) The correspondent of
Newspaper or a News Agency should fulfil the following conditions for
accreditation (a) He should be a
working journalist as defined by the working Journalists (Conditions of Service
and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955 and should be engaged whole time as a
correspondent as defined in these rules; (b) The correspondent of
a newspaper or news agency should be drawing the prescribed wage in the
category of his/her newspaper or news agency as per the Wage Board
recommendations for working Journalists and the relevant notification of the
Ministry of Labours, Government of India; (c) At the time of
application, he should have spent at least three consecutive years in the
profession of Journalism and should be a person of sufficient experience and
standing to be able to discharge his/ her duties in a competent and responsible
manner. (2) The factors to be
taken into consideration for granting accreditation to correspondents of News
Agencies will be as under (a) Nature, standing and
type of the news agency; (b) Method of
distribution of its service; and (c) Centres of the
Newspapers catered to. Accreditation
shall normally be restricted to the correspondents of news and features
agencies of at least three years standing. (3) The factors which
shall be taken into consideration for accreditation of Press
Photographers/Correspondents of Dailies, Weeklies etc., will be as under (a) For Daily
Newspaper/Weeklies etc. (i) The newspaper
concerned should be published daily and without any break between one
publication and another; (ii) Its circulation
should not be less than 5,000/-copies as certified by the Registrar of
News-papers of India or the Audit Bureau of Circulation or by a Chartered
Accountant; (iii) In the case of
smaller newspapers, their combined circulation may be taken into consideration
if they request accreditation for a common correspondent or a correspondent
himself seeks accreditation jointly on their behalf; (b) For Press
Photographers (i) Professional standing
of the newspaper/periodical of Photo Agency to be represented; (ii) Professional
capability as a Press Photographer; (iii) Frequency and number
of Photographer published and the space devoted for the same. A
newspaper or news agency will normally be entitled to have one accredited
correspondent and only one Press Photographer at the State Headquarters. But
the Government may, if considered expedient, allow more than one correspondent
to be accredited depending upon the requirement such as circulation, language
etc. of the News-paper/News agency and the conditions of facilities that can be
extended. However, the Editor of a daily/weekly periodical may also get
accreditation if it is sought for. In
the case of veteran journalists even after their retirements from the
profession of journalists, the accreditation may be given to them but this will
be done only in rare cases and where the committee so recommends. Recognition
may be granted to a correspondent provided he fulfils the following condition: (a) His residence should
be at the Headquarters of State or of the District for which he seeks
recognition; (b) He should be a
stringer/part-time Press Correspondent working with one or more newspapers or
agency/agencies and is in receipt of retainer's fee under Wage Board
Regulation; (c) At the time of
application, he should have spent at least three years in the profession of
Journalism; and (d) He should represent a
daily with the minimum circulations of 5,000/- copies as certified by the
Registrar of Newspapers of India or Audit Bureau of Circulation or Chartered
Accountant; (e) Editors of
Weeklies.Editors who are covered by the Working Journalists (Conditions of
Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955 or difference weeklies
published in a district having a circulation of 5,000/- copies per issue, with
three years standing may only be considered for recognition. The circulation of
the papers will be verified by the Director before the case is submitted to the
Press Accreditation Committee for granting recognition. Recognised
correspondents shall not be entitled to any other facilities apart from entry
into the offices of the Government and Semi-Government Organisations and entry
into functions on invitation; They
shall not be entitled to any of the facilities normally accorded to accredited
correspondents in terms of instructions issued by the Government. CHAPTER-III NOT PRINTED IN THE
GAZETTE CHAPTER-IV A
correspondent will be liable to disaccreditation/derecognition if (i) He engages himself in
work other than journalism such as soliciting business or advertisements for
publications for which he works or any other newspaper or periodical; (ii) he has for
non-journalist purposes information and facilities provided to him as an
accredited/recognised correspondent; (iii) he published official
secrets the inviolability of which is accepted by general understanding and the
Press Accreditation Committee concurs with the view; (iv) in the course of his
duties, he behave in an undignified or unprofessional manner; (v) he ignores or
violates the conditions on which information and facilities are provided by the
Government; (vi) he provides false
information. News
Media Organisations will also be liable to disaccreditation if they are
responsible for wilful publication of mala fide reports of abuse of confidence
or in the opinion of the Press Accreditation Committee, behave in a manner
unbecoming of the profession of Journalism. In
all cases relating to disaccreditation/derecognition, the Director will take
action as warranted by the circumstances in each case in consultation with
Press Accreditation Committee. All such cases shall be referred to the Press
Accreditation Committee : Provided
that in each case, the correspondent or the News Media Organisation concerned
should be offered an opportunity of a personal hearing by the Press
Accreditation Committee before any action is taken. When
an accredited/recognised correspondent cases to represent a news agency and or
newspaper on behalf of which he/she is accredited/recognised, the fact shall be
brought to the notice of the Director in writing by the correspondent as well
as by the Editor concerned within 15 days. Failing which, facilities accorded
to the newspaper may be withdrawn without following the procedure prescribed in
these rules by the Director and the correspondent shall be liable to be refused
any facility thereafter. Any such action will be communicated to the Press
Accreditation Committee. The
lists of accredited/recognised correspondents will be reviewed periodically,
Accreditation is personal and not transferable. Accreditation/Recognistion
does not confer any official status on the correspondent. The Government merely
recognises that the accredited/recognised correspondent represents the
Newspapers or News Agency which employ him/her. Correspondents should not have
ltter heads and visiting cards with the words "Accredited/Recognised"
by the Government of Assam. Newspapers
Agencies and Correspondents can make a representation to the Minister, Incharge
against any decision taken under these rules. Such representation should reach
the Secretary to the Government of Assam, Information and Public Relations
Department within two months from the date on which the decision in question
was communicated to the Newspaper, agency or correspondent concerned. Press
Accreditation/Recognition Card will be issued to each accredited/ recognised
correspondent. The admission to special functions will be governed by
invitation. A Press Correspondent in possession of a Press Accreditation Card
will automatically be admitted to a Press Conference. Notwithstanding
anything contained in these rules the Government shall be free to take any
action warranted by circumstances in matters relating to
Accreditation/Recognition and disaccreditation/derecognition in consultation
with the Press Accreditation Committee. The
Director shall maintain a list of Accreditation/Recognition/ Correspondents
with their full addressed. Provided
a correspondent fulfil all the conditions enumerated in these rules for the
grant of accreditation or recognition, as the case may be, the Director may
grant provisional accreditation/ recognition to a correspondent for a period
not exceeding three months at the first instance or till the meeting of the
Press Accreditation Committee whichever is earlier. If
a correspondent is deputed to the State Headquarters by a newspaper for a
special period, the Direct will have the authority to accord him provisional
accreditation/recognition for a period not more than three months at the first
instance. (During this period, the fully accredited/recognised/correspondent
also will enjoy all the privileges of accredited/recognised correspondent at
the Headquarters provided he/She fulfils all the conditions for grants of
accreditation/recognition, as the case may be). After
it has been decided to grant accreditation/recognition to a correspondent, a
Press Accreditation/Recognition Card bearing a passport size photograph will be
duly attested by the Director or his nominee (Press at the State Headquarters
and by the District Public Relation Officer at the District headquarters). The
Accreditation/Recognition Card will be renewal every year and will be issued
under the signature of the Director of Information and Public Relations, Assam
Additional Director (Press) of Information and Public Relations at the State
Headquarters and the District Public Relations Officer at the District
Headquarters. An
accredited correspondent, will enjoy the following facilities, in addition to
facilities as provided for under Rule 20 of this rules (a) 5% reservation in the
allotment of Housing Board rental buildings to be constructed in future and
priority in allotment of land; (b) Supply of Official
Gazette and other important Government Publication free of cost; (c) Free travel
concession by the Assam State Road Transport Buses upto 2500 km. in one
calendar year and also to issue free passes for their travel by City Buses in
Guwahati City and also right to use pool cars when on duty; (d) "Accommodation
in Circuit House, Dak Bunglows, etc. inside the State and in Assam House
outside the State in preference to other non-officials but at the rates
applicable to non-officials only". The
partially modifies this Deptt's Notification No. HMM 321/ 85/4, dated 1st
December, 1985. CHAPTER-VII An
accredited correspondent, will enjoy the following facilities, in addition to
facilities as provided for under Rule 20 of this rules (a) 5% reservation in the
allotment of Housing Board rental buildings to be constructed in future and
priority in allotment of land; (b) Supply of Official
Gazette and other important Government Publication free of cost; (c) Free travel
concession by the Assam State Road Transport Buses upto 2500 km. in one
calendar year and also to issue free passes for their travel by City Buses in
Guwahati City and also right to use pool cars when on duty; (d) "Accommodation
in Circuit House, Dak Bunglows, etc. inside the State and in Assam House
outside the State in preference to other non-officials but at the rates
applicable to non-officials only". The
partially modifies this Deptt's Notification No. HMM 321/ 85/4, dated 1st
December, 1985.THE ASSAM PRESS CORRESPONDENTS (ACCREDITATION/RECOGNITION)
RULES, 1989
PREAMBLE