My worries in filing stories about Assembly Session

Rinku Khumukcham,

Imphal 27 June, 2012

The greatest challenge in my entire career as journalist has been reporting the assembly proceeding particularly during sessions of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. It is not because I am not aware on how to report or edit news, but because senior colleagues in the field had warned me about the unwanted consequences that may occurred during the course of filing stories about the proceedings.

          Usage of terminology has been a major concern for journalists doing parliamentary reporting. A minor mistake on the terminology often amount to a mockery of the legislators besides degrading the credibility of the media organization. It is not just the usage of terminology but it is also about maintaining integrity of being a journalist which was often hampered due to the privilege of the house.

          A senior Journalist of the state was once summoned to apology before the house for alleged mockery of the house reflected at one of his write up.

Can I file story about the irresponsible behavior of a member?

Sometime a member of the house was found sleeping when another member was moving a motion or answering to questions. Sometime a member walks out from the house when the house was discussing serious issues. Sometime a mere breach of protocol by member becomes a joke or sometime a mobile phone ringing might disturbed the proceeding of the house. Can I file this sort of stories as this are also stuffs that will caught the attention of the audiences. Any write up criticizing an event which comes under the jurisdiction of Assembly Secretariat during session or any damage done during the period could be called upon for contempt.

The question arises out here is - Are we journalist being denied the right to freedom of reporting?  Are our rights limited only to certain area?

Certainly, there are certain limitations for parliamentary reporting. But what are the limitations. The area of limitation at which a reporter need to strictly abide need to be published by the authority of the learned staffs of the state Legislative Assembly.

The second session of the 10^th Manipur legislative Assembly began today. On the first day except for the obituary reference of T Gougin was taken up. Moving obituary motion of a departed member is a much but then - Is the house serious about moving the obituary motion? The members of the house including the leader of the house and opposition leader as well as those attending the motion had stated different date of birth of the departed leader T Gaugin who was a deputy chief Minister during the time of YM Sheija I 1974. Surprisingly one senior Minister said Gaugin was expired on 5 June 2012, while another said he was expired in 6 June 2012. Another MLA while joining the obituary reference had even said that the date of birth of the departed member has not been recorded correctly.

Should I report this or not? I have reason for picking up the analytical reporting as I could prove the inefficiency of the assembly staffs in proving information to the honorable members. But would not this amount to the breach of privilege of the house?

Now another question is the certain alleged misappropriation happening inside the Assembly secretariat. Journalists certainly want to put up the issue through their story but on assuming whether it amount to breach of privilege or not, one often roll back.

In another development contract staffs of the Assembly Secretariat has been forbidden from entering the new assembly secretariat building at Chingmeirong. Many questions arise on why the order has been other. One may also question - why should the Assembly spent so much money on paying salary for the contract employees if they have to be kept aside  during the session which is one of the most important job for all the staffs.

The matter is serious. I certainly thought, this too be on the news. But I was in dilemma for quit some times as I was not clear on whether it would amount to breach of privilege of the house or not.

But for this, I had including in our news bulletin taking own risk. The following is how I file the story to our news channel.

Contract staffs prohibited entry for the first time in the history of Manipur Legislative Assembly

For the first time in the history of the Manipur Legislative Assembly session, contract staffs of the secretariat have been forbidden entry to the office complex during the session.

An order issued by the Secretary of the Assembly Secretariat Y Indira said that – only officers and staff of the assembly Secretariat serving on regular basis will be allowed to enter in the New Assembly Secretariat at Chingmeirong during the Assembly Session which begins today. According to a highly placed source Assembly Secretariat has a total of 180 contract staffs which were absorb as demanded from time to time. As the contract staffs are forbidden from entering the new assembly complex at Chingmeirong where the sitting is being taken place most of the contract staffs were found loitering inside the old Assembly complex premises.