Stop Sabha TV, lift restraint on media from telecasting assembly proceedings: UDF opposition to Speaker

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 2 (PTI) Ahead of the assembly session from August 7, the Congress-led opposition UDF on Wednesday asked the Speaker to stop operations of Sabha TV and lift the restraint on media from directly showing visuals of House proceedings.

In a letter sent to Speaker A N Shamseer, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the assembly V D Satheesan alleged that the state-run Sabha TV, which provides footage of House proceedings, was operating as a channel of the ruling party in Kerala.

He claimed that the Sabha TV’s conduct of not telecasting the scenes of protest by the opposition in the assembly was undemocratic and tarnishes parliamentary democracy.

“The Sabha TV cannot be allowed to operate as the government’s own channel by completely avoiding the opposition protests,” the LoP contended.

Satheesan said this issue was brought to the Speaker’s attention several times in the past through letters and even in the assembly, but no action has been taken regarding it so far.

He said the restraint on mainstream media from directly telecasting visuals of House proceedings up to the question-answer session were put in place as part of Covid-19 restrictions.

However, even after withdrawal of restrictions, the restraint on the media coverage remains and the same is undemocratic, the LoP claimed.

He sought urgent intervention of the Speaker on the issue.