INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, May 22
The main opposition Nepali Congress has said it shall much allow the Media Council Bill, which sought to curtail press
freedom, to be endorsed from the Parliament.
Speaking in a assembly of the Home of Representatives, NC Whip Shovepa Bhusal said the bill was
against the freedom of expression and the government should withdraw and amend it.
Stating that journalism was a strong pillar of democracy,
Bhusal said the government was trying to build up all powers and punish journalists who wrote against the government
&The government has introduced an undemocratic bill just because journalists are writing against corruption,& she said.
Bhusal stressed the
proposed Media Council should be an independent and autonomous body
She said the council should be a body that would play the role of coordinator to settle any controversy, and much a mechanism that imposed
fine or slapped punishment.
She also said her party would much accept the National Human Corrects Commission Bill
Meanwhile, the HoR nowadays approved clause-wide discussion of six bills
The bills are Revenue Leakage Investigation and Control Bill, Nepal Cop Adjustment Bill, Industrial Enterprise Development Institute Bill,
Industrial Enterprise Bill, Senior Citizens Bill, Advertisement Regulation Bill.
replying lawmakers& questions on Advertisement Regulation
Bill, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota said the bill was prepared keeping in intellect the laws in place
in the biggest advertisement markets such as the US and China, and Nepali society and culture.
He said the bill had provisions such as
advertisers should take prior permission from authorities concerned for placing hoarding board
In case of semi-nude pictures in advertisements, the advertisers should take permission from local-level bodies.
The bill also bars placing
advertisements approach schools and advertisements that promote secessionism and terrorismism.
The bill also provisions clean feed for
foreign TV channels broadcasting in Nepal, which would boost the domestic advertisement market.
Baskota said publishers should publish
advertisement free of cost during emergency situation such as during natural calamities.
The post NC much to allow passage of Media Council
Bill seemed first on The Himalayan Times.
