Muhammad Suhail
Srinagar, Oct 29 : Director Information Mamta Yadav on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir’s new media policy is expected to be finalised soon, with the draft currently under examination and provisions proposed to cover social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
Speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS), Yadav said the department was responding to queries raised during the examination of the draft and expressed hope that the policy would be finalised at the earliest.
“If any policy is made, there is a process for it. We have sent a draft and are continuously responding to the queries that are coming in,” she told KNS.
She said the proposed policy would address aspects not covered under the existing framework, particularly the growing role of social media in communication and public relations campaigns.
“Social media has grown significantly today, with platforms like Instagram and Facebook. We have included these aspects in the new policy,” Yadav said.
The proposed policy comes amid a debate in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly during its recently concluded autumn session over the growing number of unregulated social media news platforms, online trolling and the circulation of misleading content.
On September 30, 2026, Education and Health Minister Sakina Itoo told the Assembly that the government was working on a new media policy and that the Information Department had been given four months to formulate the guidelines.
The issue was raised by National Conference MLA Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri, who sought measures to address the alleged misuse of social media and online attacks on public representatives. Several legislators called for a regulatory framework, while some cautioned against imposing restrictions that could undermine press freedom.
Minister Itoo said politicians could not hold the media solely responsible for the misuse of social media, acknowledging that political actors also contributed to the problem. She also called for greater accountability for content circulated through online platforms. (KNS)
