Contentious Broadcasting Bill to go ahead only after wider consultations, says I&B minister
On August 12, the Centre withdrew the draft legislation amid allegations by press bodies and civil society organisations that it impinged on free speech.
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has put the contentious draft 2023 Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill on hold, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday, The Hindu reported.
Vaishnaw hinted that the ministry will carry out wider consultations with creators and other stakeholders about the bill. “We are open-minded, very flexible and want to make sure that whatever we do, we do after taking all the diverse views into consultation,” the newspaper quoted Vaishnaw as saying.
On August 12, the Union government withdrew the latest draft of the Broadcast Bill amid allegations by several press bodies and civil society organisations that it impinged on free speech online. The government reportedly asked stakeholders to return physical copies that were circulated to them on July 24 and July 25.
At that time, the ministry had said that it would publish a fresh draft of the bill after holding detailed consultations with stakeholders.
Vaishnaw said on Monday that the draft legislation was being considered to encourage content creators and that the bill’s aims should not be misconstrued.
A new bill will not be drafted if the consultations lead the government to conclude that such a law is not needed, The Hindu also quoted a senior official as saying.
Vaishnaw’s comments came after a report earlier on Monday quoted unidentified officials as saying that the ministry would not come...
