Just in: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered the withdrawal of the Information and Broadcasting ministry's order on fake news. The PMO has now ordered that the matter of fake news should be referred to the Press Council of India.


There was a massive amount of backlash from journalists after the Information and Broadcasting Ministry headed by Union minister Smriti Irani on Monday amended guidelines which seek to suspend the accreditation of a journalist if found guilty.


Officials claimed that the initiative had been taken following instances of fake news appearing on media platforms.


As per the new guidelines, "Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the correspondent or journalist whoever created or photographed the fake news will, if accredited, have the accreditation suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies.'