Delhi: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) has expressed concern over the sealing of the office of United News of India (UNI) in New Delhi, urging relevant authorities to reconsider the decision.
According to reports, the closure of the UNI office has sparked concerns regarding press freedom in India. It has also been alleged that staff members present at the premises were forcibly evicted, with incidents of manhandling reported, including involving female journalists.
The action follows a ruling by the Delhi High Court, which upheld the cancellation of land allotment granted to UNI. The plot, located at Rafi Marg and allotted in 1979, was subject to the condition of constructing a composite office complex within a stipulated timeframe—a requirement that remained unfulfilled. The government subsequently cancelled the allotment in March 2023, and legal challenges by UNI did not result in relief.
A notice issued at the premises stated that the property was taken over by the Union government on March 20, 2026, and that any unauthorised entry or use of the premises would invite legal action.
“It’s unfortunate that a pioneer news agency (which was founded in 1961) is facing such treatments in India. However, the UNI management had to follow the prescribed regulations. Since the digital media overpowers the traditional news outlets, which was aggravated after the Covid-19 pandemic, the news agencies needed a complete revamps in its functioning. Probably the UNI management failed to deal with challenges,” said Nava Thakuria, south Asia representative of PEC (Press Emblem Campaign).
PEC noted that the incident raises broader questions about the challenges faced by legacy media organisations amid regulatory compliance issues and the ongoing shift towards digital media ecosystems.
