Journalists Prohibited from Recording Videos in Parliament House

The National Assembly Secretariat imposed a ban on video recording inside Parliament House following complaints from lawmakers. They expressed concerns about journalists recording interviews and statements without consent, and later posting these videos on social media.

The Secretariat issued a statement saying, “A decision has been made to impose a ban on any kind of video recording within Parliament House.” Violating this rule may result in sanctions such as mobile phone seizure, loss of press gallery access cards, and limited access to Parliament House. The Secretariat has requested that media people comply with the new guidelines to ensure that parliamentary sessions run smoothly.

After assembly sessions and standing committee meetings, journalists often document the perspectives of Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) in the corridors of Parliament House. The ruling parties may not favor the forthright, and occasionally penetrating, questions that they pose. In addition to employing these recordings for mainstream media, correspondents frequently publish the content on social media platforms.

The National Assembly Secretariat became enraged by the social media coverage and subsequently decided to prohibit the production of any video within the building. The Parliamentary Reporters Association was informed by a letter from the Director General of Media at the National Assembly that, during the 10th session, certain journalists had stopped MNAs in the corridors to record their comments without consent. The videos were subsequently uploaded to social media.