The Press Club of India and IWPC expresses deep concern over the lodging of a First Information Report (FIR) against senior journalist Ajit Anjum, reportedly in connection with his professional work, covering a series on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

A noted journalist, Ajit Anjum has a long-standing record of responsible and impactful reporting.

On his YouTube channel, Ajit Anjum had shown how the SIR process was being undertaken in Balia of Begusarai district, wherein many voter forms were being filled and uploaded without the Election Commission's required documents or photographs. Reporting facts is primary and foremost duty of any journalist and it certainly not comes under the category of "spreading misinformation".

Instead of issuing clarification, the administration chose to take legal recourse, resulting in lodging of a FIR against the journalist.

Lodging a FIR against him raises serious questions about freedom of press and the mounting challenges to free expression in a democratic set up in a country, like India.

We call upon the relevant authorities to ensure that due process is followed and that the rights of Mr. Anjum as a journalist and a citizen are fully protected.

We also urge all stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to upholding media freedom, a cornerstone of any healthy democracy.

The Press Club stands in solidarity with all journalists facing harassment or intimidation for their work and reaffirms its commitment to defending the right to report freely and fearlessly.