Thimphu, June 27, 2009: The Houses in the parliament have different perspectives on right to information and public view of the parliament proceedings.
The debate continues till the parliament session began Friday amid special function in capital. As per the preliminary decisions, BBS TV will not be allowed to broadcast live the third session of the National Assembly. However, the National Council said it will allow the TV channel to televise its debates.
The national assembly will allow entry of BBS TV only for its opening and closing ceremony besides addresses by King Jigme Khesar, Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley and few deliberations.
The House remains divided whether to allow TV telecast its debate live. Few members and Speaker Jigme Tshultim cite the cost that BBS might have to bear for live show while others say the ban is against the spirit of right to information of general public.
The constitution allows anyone to view the parliament proceeding sessions stating that parliamentary proceedings will be conducted in public.
The opposition leader Tshering Tobgay opposes the ban saying it is not good practice in a democracy.
Which House divided over the TV Telecast?Haha………..hahah……. Bhutan really needs few lessons on democracy.Tshering Tobgay seems to be right as an opposition leader.Media is the back bone of democracy and its success depends on how the media is nurtured.Bhutan made hue and cry in International medias and press on its transition to Democratic country recently,but TV telecast of House delebrations is banned.Is the democracy for the King , Jigme Y.Thinley or for the general mass??
I am afraid someday another uprising against the ruling elites will come where it will be hard for them to crush as done in the 1990s.
What the government think about themselves,Freedom of press is part and parcel of democratic principles and values,so Bhutanese authorities must not put media in their pocket as “PHOP”and “TORAYS”.