Govt approves review of private member's bill for independent media licensing authority

New Delhi: A private member's Bill that seeks to provide for the establishment of an independent authority for the regulation and licensing of media services in the country has been cleared for consideration by the Rajya Sabha, a bulletin of the House said.

The Indian Media Services (Regulation and Licensing) Bill, 2024, a private member's bill by CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan, provides for establishing an independent authority—the Indian Board of Media Services—for the regulation and licensing of media services "to facilitate the development of free and independent media services in the country".

According to the bulletin, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw communicated to the Rajya Sabha secretary-general that the president has recommended the consideration of the Bill to the House.

Private members' Bills involving expenditure from the exchequer require the president’s permission through the ministry concerned on whether such bills can be considered by the House.

The Indian Media Services (Regulation and Licensing) Bill says the Central Government shall, within six months of the commencement of this Act, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish for the purposes of this Act, an autonomous body to be known as the Indian Board for Media Services, to regulate the functioning of media services and foster free and independent media services in the country.

It also says the Central Government shall, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law on this behalf, make to the Board grants of such sums of money as the Central Government may think fit for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

In the statement of objects and reasons for the Bill, Sivadasan has said independent media that play an impartial role in the dissemination of news and information to the public at large is crucial for the functioning of a healthy democracy, and licensing powers being a monopoly in the hands of the Executive often results in a "pliant media," as journalists will hesitate to criticize the ruling dispensation for fear of legal hazards.

The bill states that licensing should not be left to bureaucracy and the ruling party and aims to correct this by proposing an autonomous body for issuing licenses and revoking them, thus ensuring the free and fair functioning of media.