Tuesday, July 5 2005 14:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A newspaper that published two articles and photographs of the minor son of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been advised by the Press Council of India (PCI) to strike a balance between the freedom of the press and the right of an individual to his privacy.

The Council held this view while considering the complaint of Gandhi against the Editor of 'Today', an English afternoon daily, published by the India Today group from New Delhi, about publication of the articles in October, last year (2004). It felt that the report's presentation was not proportionate to the scale of the incident under report. 'It appeared to have been blown out of proportion'.

The Council noted that the paper also made no effort to seek the consent of the parents who have for long striven to maintain their child's privacy even while the family, as political persons was in the limelight. Advising the media to delineate 'public interest', the Council was of the opinion that what is of public interest is clearly distinguishable, from that which is in public interest and press as purveyor of news and information has primarily to gear itself towards the latter.

The Council decided to close the case with the newspaper categorically stating that they have refrained from any reporting on the child after made aware of the objections and concerns by Gandhi.