New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office today advised the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to withdraw its press release on fake news and said the decision on what amounts to fake news should be left to bodies such the Press Council of India, official sources said.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry withdrew its contentious press release on fake news after a directive from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“PIB Press Release titled ‘Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists amended to regulate Fake News’ issued on 02 April 2018 stands withdrawn,” the ministry said in a brief statement.

According to the PMO, any decision on fake news should be taken by bodies like the Press Council of India and the News Broadcasters Association, official sources said.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had yesterday announced measures to contain fake news, saying the accreditation of a journalist could be permanently cancelled if the scribe is found generating or propagating fake news.

The amended guidelines stated that if the publication or telecast of fake news was confirmed, accreditation of the journalist would be suspended for six months in the first violation and for one year in case of a second violation.