*28 rebuttals issued on fake news since April 2025: Govt in Assembly*

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday told the Assembly that the Directorate of Information and Public Relations has issued 28 rebuttals to fake and misleading news reports between April 1, 2025, and Jan 31, 2026, as part of its efforts to counter misinformation.

Replying to a question by BJP MLA R.S. Pathania, the J&K government, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), stated that a dedicated Media Monitoring Cell has been set up in the Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) to monitor fake and misleading news in real time.

The government said that out of the 28 rebuttals, 20 were issued through press releases while eight were issued through official social media handles of DIPR, J&K.

It further clarified that regulation of websites, digital platforms, online news channels and Fact Checking Units (FCUs) does not fall under the purview of the Information Department. The department also stated that it does not impose fines on organizations, corporate entities or individuals for spreading fake news.

In response to another query, the government said that no private Fact Checking Units (FCUs) are recognized or authorized by the Information Department, and at present, it does not verify or grade private FCUs.
The House was also informed that a Draft New Media Policy-2026 has proposed provisions to regulate new and social media alongside print media. The draft policy is currently under inter-departmental consultation for finalization.

On cyber security measures, the government said comprehensive steps have been undertaken in coordination with the IT Department to strengthen cyber infrastructure across government departments and institutions. Mandatory security audits have been conducted for websites hosted on the State Data Centre and NIC Mini Data Centre, while redundant websites have been decommissioned or DNS de-mapped.

The government added that cyber security governance has been institutionalized through monthly review meetings chaired by the Chief Secretary, establishment of an Information Security Steering Committee, nomination of Internal Security Officers and preparation of Cyber Crisis Management Plans by all departments—