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The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly to address the allegations made by opposition leader Pratap Singh Bajwa concerning biased coverage during the live telecast of Assembly proceedings.
The plea, filed by Bajwa, contends that the live broadcast of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha shows a clear bias in the telecast quality, favoring members of the ruling party over the opposition. Bajwa’s counsel, Advocate Arshpreet Kadial, argued that while speeches by ruling party members are broadcasted clearly with focused camera work and complete audio, the speeches of opposition MLAs are often poorly focused and not fully captured.
Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal, who were hearing the case, noted that the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Speaker and should be addressed expeditiously. The Court has thus directed the Speaker to review and resolve Bajwa’s grievances regarding the telecast coverage.
Bajwa’s petition claims that the unequal treatment during the live broadcast not only misrepresents the Assembly proceedings but also results in discrimination against opposition MLAs and their constituents. The plea emphasized that the lack of clear guidelines for the live telecast of Assembly proceedings has led to this perceived bias.
In addition to seeking equal coverage for opposition members, Bajwa’s petition highlighted that the discrimination in telecast undermines the right to equality for the opposition MLAs and their constituencies.
The Court has asked the Speaker, along with the State and the Secretary to the Legislative Assembly, to ensure fair and equal coverage of all members during the live broadcasts of Assembly sessions.
With the Court’s directions, the plea has been disposed of, placing the onus on the Speaker to resolve the issues raised by Bajwa and ensure equitable treatment in the Assembly’s media coverage.