PCCSL handles 312 complaints in 2020

Seated from left: P. Balasingham, Rajitha Weerakoon, Gnana Moonesinghe, Chairman Nihal Seneviratne, Siri Ranasinghe and Daya Lankapura. Standing from left: Javid Yusuf, Lucille Wijewardene, Dion Schoorman, Pramod de Silva, PCCSL CEO Sukumar Rockwood and PCCSL Complaints Officer Kamal Liyanaarachchi 

The Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) handled 312 complaints during the year 2020. The newspaper Editors’ reciprocated by publishing 207 complaints directly while the PCCSL handled 76 complaints sent by complainants and 29 were violations of the Editors’ Code monitored by the PCCSL.

The PCCSL set up under the Arbitration Act No. 11 of 1995 promotes self-regulation through a Code of Professional Practice structured by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL) and resolves complaints through a three-tier structure of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. 

The Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) of the PCCSL comprises 11 members, six members are non-journalists including an Attorney-at-Law who is the Chairman of the Council and the balance five members are journalists. The DRC along with the PCCSL Secretariat met on Wednesday, 10 February.