Kathmandu, Aug 13: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung viewed that opinions should be sought from stakeholders regarding some complicated issues in the Media Council Bill. During clause-wise deliberations on the Media Council Bill in the National Assembly’s Legislation Management Committee on Tuesday, Minister Gurung said that the process to fill the vacant post in the Media Council if Council’s Chair or office-bearers are prosecuted for corruption charges shall be taken forward based on recommendations furnished by stakeholders. Stating that appointing Ministry’s Secretary in Selection Committee would not hamper/infringe freedom of press and autonomy, Gurung clarified, “There is nothing to question if Ministry’s Secretary remains in the Selection Committee. We are committed towards making journalist bodies autonomous and independent. Also, airing voice in the deliberations, secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Radhika Aryal opined that it would be appropriate to reach to a conclusion after thoroughly discussing among all parties regarding how practical and legitimate it is to fill the vacant post of Chair and office-bearers within three months if they are charged with corruption. She observed that there were no any instances of good delivery of stipulated responsibilities by Acting Chairperson appointed in public offices when the Chairperson posts had fallen vacant owing to various reasons. According to Committee Chair Jayanti Devi Rai, Media Council Bill will be finalized in some days since, she shared, that consensus has been forged in many issues of the Bill. Committee members Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Tulasha Kumari Dahal, Bhagawati Neupane and Gopi Bahadur Sarki Achami among others demanded clarity in some of the ambiguous and vague provisions in the Bill.
