New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS): Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has been appointed chairman of the Press Council of India, the information and broadcasting ministry announced here Wednesday.

Katju takes over from Justice G.N. Ray.

Born Sep 20, 1946, Katju practiced law in the Allahabad High Court and was appointed its judge in 1991 and as acting chief justice in August 2004. He was chief justice of the Madras High Court in November 2004.

He became chief justice of the Delhi High Court in October 2005 and was appointed a Supreme Court judge in April 2006. He retired on Sep 19, 2011.

His father, late Justice S.N. Katju, was a former judge of the Allahabad High Court while his grandfather Kailash Nath Katju was one of India's leading lawyers.

Kailash Katju took part in the freedom movement and served as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister, governors of West Bengal and Orissa as well as the union law, home and defence ministers, a statement added.

The Press Council of India is a statutory, quasi judicial body which acts as a watchdog of the media. Its chairman by convention is a retired judge of the Supreme Court.