Live telecasting of Assembly debates is the necessity

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
The frequency of Orissa Legislative Assembly getting stonewalled everyday is a syndrome that needs immediate remedy, if democracy in this part of India is to be saved from further decadence,

Contravention of the Law by the Law makers cannot be simply digested by the taxpayers.

Members belonging to all the three major parties –  BJP, BJD and Congress – are indulged in what the law doesn’t permit. The Speaker has the carte blanche to discipline them. But practical politics often doesn’t permit any action to impose discipline. The Speaker adjourns the House period after period and even, for the entire bewildered day. This is huge loss to the exchequer and to the credibility of the system called parliamentary democracy. 

This is to be stopped.  

Rule 185 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Orissa Legislative Assembly (hereinafter called the Rules), which could be termed ‘the law for the law-makers’,  is being violated in the august house of legislation sans any qualms. Let us see, what the Rule says- 

Most relevant provisions 

Sub-Rule (ii) of this Rule says, (While the Assembly is sitting), a member –

“shall not interrupt any member while speaking by disorderly expression or noises or in any other disorderly manner”; 

“shall always address the Chair” : sub-Rule (vi);

“shall keep to his usual seat while speaking” :Sub-Rule (vii);

“shall maintain silence when not speaking in the Assembly”: Sub-Rule (viii); and

“shall not obstruct proceedings, hiss or interrupt and shall avoid making running commentaries when speeches are being made in the Assembly” : Sub-Rule (ix).

Similarly, under Rule 189 (vii) it is stipulated that a member “shall not use his right of speech for the purpose of obstructing the business of the Assembly.”

We regret to note that, all these stipulations in the Law for the Law-makers in Orissa are being contravened everyday with a Speaker seeing no other way than announcing an adjournment.. 

When the Law-makers violate the Law created by the Legislature for the Legislators, and the Speaker merely adjourns the House, what sort of parliamentary excellence can grow in this State? Why should the public exchequer be burdened with the expenditure over the sittings that go almost barren?

Businesses of the House should not be forced into the labyrinth of political brags.  

But, this is happening in the Assembly of Orissa, because, the general public of Orissa is unable to watch what really is happening in the Assembly. 

To me it occurs, if the people are equipped to watch what their representatives are doing in the House, the members would be conscious of their conduct in the principal precinct of the rampart of democracy to which the voters have helped them to enter. 

Therefore, I strongly suggest that, the entire sitting of the Assembly be live-telecasted for the people of Orissa.

Let the people judge their representatives by watching them live, so that they can perfectly form their opinion on them and save their democracy in proper manner from further decadence.

The people have the inherent right to watch their Assembly members’ conduct in the chamber, including their misconduct. The visitors’ gallery in the precincts of the House stands on this concept. Therefore, there is nothing wrong in expanding the scope of this concept to the whole of Orissa through live telecasting of all the debates. 

When Sarat Kumar Kar was the Speaker, as far as I remember, a file was created to examine if this provision could be possible. The present Speaker should find out that file or else, should take fresh steps in this regard. 

People of Orissa deserve not to be debarred from witnessing how the Law for the law-makers is contravened by who of the law-makers in Orissa Assembly and how efficient or deficient is participation of members in the debates. 

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