Imphal, September 06 2017: Noting that the role of media in informing the public about the Assembly sessions is of paramount importance in a democratic country, Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly, Y Khemchand has announced that entire sessions of the House will be live telecast consistently, including in two National channels from next session .
He made the announcement while addressing a one day seminar on “Media and Parliamentary Reporting” which was organized by Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat at its conference hall today .
Speaking as chief guest, Speaker Khemchand informed that establishment of a bureau for training on parliamentary related proceedings and reporting is on the anvil and appealed to the media fraternity to take a greater role in educating the public on voting rights and democratic principles .
He stated that democracy would be difficult to prevail in the State if the current manner of unfair voting in elections is not changed .
Delivering presidential speech at the seminar, MLA and MPCC president TN Haokip observed that media and legislatures are inseparable in a meaningful democracy .
He appealed to the legislatures to keep updated and abide by the norms of Parliamentary bodies concerned while asking media personnel and media houses to follow the norms laid by its authorities like PCI .
Former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam who attended as guest of honour stated that the resultant effect of media properly informing the public about the functioning of a Government would be magnified if people choose representatives who possess adequate knowledge of democracy .
Suggesting media houses to assign parliamentary reporting to specialized reporters, he said that live telecasting of the entire Assembly sessions would make people fully aware of the happenings inside the House .
Ex-MLA Okram Joy who was also present at the seminar asserted that the biggest achievement in the human history is the existence of a democracy .
Highlighting the role of press in a democratic set up, he said that there will be no democracy if there is no press/media .
Reminding that Parliamentary proceedings is vast and vital in running a democracy, he observed that media should have better knowledge of democracy even better than the legislatures as they are the ones who check the conducts and working of democracy and keep the public informed .
Secretary of Manipur Legislative Assembly, Mutum Ramani Devi also attended the seminar as guest of honour .
During the seminar, a technical session was also held wherein TN Haokip, O Joy, Radhabinod Koijam and Dr N Pramod, Associate Professor, LML Law College as resource persons spoke on the topics “Relation between Legislature and Media”, “Reporting of the Proceedings of the House and Breach of Privilege and Contempt of the House”, “Parliamentary Procedures” and “Constitutional Provisions on the Privilege and Parliamentary Reporting” .
An interaction programme between the participants and resource persons was also conducted.
Source: The Sangai Express
