Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo said the government should hold a meeting of the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) to create a mechanism to act swiftly against such handles on social media. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Jammu and Kashmir Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Sakina Itoo on Thursday (February 12, 2026) flagged the issue of misuse of social media platforms by politicians in J&K to tarnish images of opponents and sought a mechanism to act swiftly against such handles at par with fake news peddlers.
“If there is anyone at the top of the misuse of social media or fake news, it is politicians. They use social media platforms like Facebook to tarnish and malign the opponents. We trace many such videos to the handles of politicians and political parties first. We need to act against them first. Politicians need to control themselves first,” said Ms. Itoo, while speaking during the Zero Hour in the J&K assembly.
She said the government should hold a meeting of the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) to create a mechanism to act swiftly against such handles on social media. “Currently, the DIPR does not have a mandate to seek punishment against such handles,” she added.
In a rare show of support from the Opposition BJP, legislator R.S. Pathania said the DIPR has issued 28 rebuttals in 2025. “Is there coordination between the DIPR and the J&K Police? There are umpteen channels on Facebook that have damaged the social fabric, democracy and governance. There is a doctored video about me uploaded by a national party. I approached the government and the police but no action was taken. There is a need to have an enforcement mechanism,” Mr. Pathania said.
He demanded a dedicated Media Monitoring Cell in the DIPR for real-time tracking of fake news.
In a reply to MLA Pathania’s questions, the J&K Government said it has proposed a regulatory framework for new and social media in the draft New Media Policy-2026, “which is currently at the inter-departmental consultation stage for finalisation”.
“All departments have designated nodal officers to monitor department-specific fake news, who have been provided login IDs to upload rebuttals on a dedicated portal,” the J&K Government said.
The legal framework governing social media platforms is primarily anchored in the Information Technology Act, 2000, particularly Section 69A which empowers the blocking of content in the interest of public order and national security, complemented by the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the government said.
Published – February 13, 2026 04:39 am IST
