JS body seeks clarification on 'press freedom' bill
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
A parliamentary watchdog has returned a bill, aimed at stopping harassment of journalists for writing defamatory pieces, to the law ministry for further clarification, reports bdnews24.com.
The parliamentary standing committee on law ministry at a meeting Sunday night sought clarification from the ministry on the bill to revoke warrant orders against journalists and writers.
Surnajit Sen Gupta, the committee chairman, told the news agency Monday that the bill would raise a basic question on how people would get redress if journalists and writers harassed people.
Law minister Shafique Ahmed on Jan 11 tabled the bill to amend the century old Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) replacing the words "warrant" with "summon".
The minister told parliament that the bill would stop "unnecessary harassment of journalists and ensure greater press freedom".
Parliament sent the bill to the standing committee for scrutiny before its passage. The standing committee has the authority to change provisions of any bill in line with the constitution.
But a plenary of parliament can overturn the standing committee's recommendations if it deems fit.
If the bill is passed, no court will be able to issue warrants against journalists in defamation cases, which are all too common in the country.
The court could only summon journalists, editors, publishers, writers and others in such cases.
"We have sent the bill back to the ministry for necessary clarification on the bill," Sen Gupta told at his parliament office.
Neither the chairman nor the members of the committee disclosed the recommendations of the meeting.
But, Sen Gupta said, "The minister does not know how the bill was sent to the parliament secretariat for introduction in parliament."
The parliamentary standing committee on law ministry at a meeting Sunday night sought clarification from the ministry on the bill to revoke warrant orders against journalists and writers.
Surnajit Sen Gupta, the committee chairman, told the news agency Monday that the bill would raise a basic question on how people would get redress if journalists and writers harassed people.
Law minister Shafique Ahmed on Jan 11 tabled the bill to amend the century old Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) replacing the words "warrant" with "summon".
The minister told parliament that the bill would stop "unnecessary harassment of journalists and ensure greater press freedom".
Parliament sent the bill to the standing committee for scrutiny before its passage. The standing committee has the authority to change provisions of any bill in line with the constitution.
But a plenary of parliament can overturn the standing committee's recommendations if it deems fit.
If the bill is passed, no court will be able to issue warrants against journalists in defamation cases, which are all too common in the country.
The court could only summon journalists, editors, publishers, writers and others in such cases.
"We have sent the bill back to the ministry for necessary clarification on the bill," Sen Gupta told at his parliament office.
Neither the chairman nor the members of the committee disclosed the recommendations of the meeting.
But, Sen Gupta said, "The minister does not know how the bill was sent to the parliament secretariat for introduction in parliament."