Srinagar, Aug 02 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday asked the government to file a response regarding a petition filed about mushrooming growth of news agencies on social media and especially the news portals involved in circulation of fake news. 

In an order, a copy of which lies with Kashmir News Service (KNS), the High Court has asker the government to file a response in this regard within a month.

The court has also asked the government to specifically point out to provisions of law under these news portals if at all are required to be registered or licensed after the petitioners alleged that several news portals are operating freely without any registration or license from any authority.

The PIL has alleged that these news portals 
are not under the supervision and control of any authority whatsoever. 

The court has asked the government whether the news portals are running with due permission in accordance with law and whether any agency is examining the contents of 
the news circulated by these news portals. 

The court order stated that the grievance raised in the Public Interest Litigation is about the mushrooming growth of news agencies on social media especially the news portals which are involved in circulating fake news. 

Notably, the PIL filed in the court has alleged that in the Union Territory several such news portals like Kashmir News, Kashmir Voice, Kashmir Breaking News, News Kashmir 
24/7, Kashmir Business Hub and Bol Kashmir etc are operating freely without any registration or license from any authority and these news portals are not under supervision and control of any authority whatsoever. 

The PIL was filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum through advocate Shafqat Nazir assisted by advocate Shabir Ahmad Bhat, while the government has been made a respondent through principal secretary to the government and others. (KNS)