Goa Speaker ready to modify new media accreditation guidelines

Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant today agreed to modify the new media accreditation guidelines issued by him for covering House sessions.

However, he refused to withdraw the norms which were objected to by a section of journalists in Goa.

Sawant had issued new guidelines with a view to check the unauthorised media persons from attending sessions.

"There is no question of withdrawing the guidelines as they are in the draft form. They are prepared after taking into consideration the security of the complex and for streamlining the coverage of the Assembly proceedings," the Speaker told reporters.

He said even Lok Sabha had prescribed guidelines for the media covering the sessions.

"Every state has its own set of guidelines. The norms have been existed in Goa, but they were never implemented," he said.

Sawant further said the guidelines would be finalised after consulting the Press Accreditation Committee of the Assembly, which has the representation of journalists on it.

As per the guidelines, a journalist who wants the accreditation for covering an Assembly session must have an experience of at least five years, and the newspaper he or she belongs to must have a circulation of more than 15,000.

The Congress had demanded withdrawal of "unconstitutional" and "undemocratic" media accreditation guidelines.