Media Council Bill does not curtail press freedom: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu, Aug 1: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has said the 'Media Council Bill' will be forwarded as the 'Aam Sanchar Parishad Bidheyak'.     

Taking part in the clause-wise deliberations on the Media Council Bill, 2080 BS at a meeting of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee on Friday, he said it was agreed to rename the document in Nepali. As he argued, the document has not envisaged any effort to intervene in the concept of press freedom. "The rights granted in the Bill will not be intervened by the government either."     

Committee President Amar Bahadur Thapa said that a seven-member sub-committee coordinated by Deepa Sharma had been formed to conclude the clause-wise deliberations on the Bill. The sub-committee comprises Prabhu Hajara, Leela Devi Limbu, Gyanu Basnet Subedi, Dr Toshima Karki, Binita Kumari Singh and Mahendra Kumar Raya.     

The sub-panel is mandated to present its report before the Committee within 15 days of the commencement of work.     

During the deliberations, lawmakers Rekha Sharma, Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Prabhu Hajara, Bidhya Bhattarai, Debendra Paudel, Shyam Kumar Ghimire and Toshima Karki demanded the autonomy of the Media Council.     

Meanwhile, mass communications and media experts have advised amending some provisions on the Bill.     

Taking part in a discussion organised by the Press Council Nepal on Friday, former Chair of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) stressed the need for amendments to the provisions concerning the formation, form and structure of the Council.     

"If it has been planned to establish the Council as a semi-judicial body, a person from judiciary should lead it," he advised.     

Council former Chair and senior journalist Harihar Birahi said the government-control approach will not let the Council function independently and this should be taken into account while enacting this kind of law. "Any regressive Bill regarding the Council is not expected."     

Council former Chair and senior journalist Rajendra Dahal said, "The Bill does not cite its objectives, and unnecessary concern of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on it suggests that it is motivated by the controlling approach."(RSS)