Speaker M.B. Rajesh on Tuesday denied reports that restrictions were unfairly imposed on the media inside the Assembly on Monday, the opening day of the fifth session of the 15th Kerala Assembly.
Mr. Rajesh, in a ruling, said the media would not be prevented from exercising their rights in a responsible and fair manner inside the Assembly.
''Exaggerated news'' about the restriction spread on account of the decision that everyone, including media persons, should mandatorily display their Assembly passes, Mr. Rajesh said, attributing the reports to ''certain interventions'' regarding the entry of media persons to the offices of Ministers and the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
The Speaker termed baseless the charge that Sabha TV, the official channel of the Assembly, had deliberately blocked out visuals of Opposition protests inside the House. Guidelines specified that ''on occasions of disorder or unparliamentary behaviour, the cameras shall focus on the Speaker until order has been restored,'' he said.
Mr. Rajesh also objected to members taking visuals of the Assembly proceedings on their mobile phones and sharing them with the media. This needed to be viewed as an insult to the House. Some media persons had reportedly taken visuals from the media gallery, which, he said, amounted to misuse of their freedom. In future, such violations would attract stern measures, including action for breach of privilege, he said.
Minister for Fisheries Saji Cherian had earlier in the day raised a point of order accusing Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) members of lowering the dignity of the House by sharing visuals of the session with the media. P.C. Vishnunath of the Congress had lodged a complaint with the Speaker that Sabha TV had deliberately blocked out visuals of the Opposition protests.
