NEW DELHI: Paid news is becoming a menace and there is a growing demand among various groups who are wanting the government to set up a mechanism for controlling this.

Nine complaints of paid news were filed by four different individuals against seven newspapers in 2012-13, but only two are under consideration of the Press Council of India.

While one case was considered time-barred, six were closed for non-pursuance.

Information and Broadcasting Ministry sources said that there were 11 complaints against different newspapers in 2011-12, most of which ended with the Council censuring the newspapers concerned. There were just two reports in 2010-11 (both closed for different reasons).

There were as many as 17 complaints against over ten newspapers in 2009-10, all of which related to elections. The year had seen the General Elections as well as some state assembly polls.

Interestingly, the Press Council of India Committee which had examined the malaise of Paid News had found at least 126 confirmed cases of paid news. In addition, 61 candidates admitted to having paid for news in the print and electronic media.