VISAKHAPATNAM: Debating over the changing role of media in the current world scenario, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) on the second day of the conference on ‘The Parliament and The Media Law’, emphasised on the need to regulate the social media in the interest of the society.
AP Legislative Assembly speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao said that the suggestions made by the delegates would help in improving the association’s future activities.
Speaking to reporters, Siva Prasada Rao said that the deliberations on different topics over the last two days, have been fruitful. The third and final day of the conference would be held at tourist centre Araku, situated on the Eastern Ghats Friday.
The outcome of deliberations including suggestions and other feedback from the delegates would be circulated to all 170 branches of CPA spread across the Commonwealth nations. CPA assistant director (programmes)Arlene Bussettee said the main objective of CPA was to promote Parliamentary democracy and the role of media was important in it.” There are 17,000 MPs and members of legislatures in the Commonwealth nations.
Arlene Bussettee and Sikkim MP Prem Das Roy, who is also a CPA executive council member, appreciated the AP chapter of the CPA and the Andhra Pradesh government for the convenient arrangements made for the conference. “The Parliament members should share their experiences to ensure that they make good decisions,” Roy said. In total, 30 presiding officers of 13 countries and the speakers and the chairpersons from 20 states in India along with Secretaries, special delegates and experts are participating in the conference.
Responding to a question on how self discipline could be entertained when all types of people are entering the media due to the advent of social media, Siva Prasada Rao and Prem Das Roy said that, there were good and bad elements in every aspect of life including technology. They asserted that nothing goes unchecked as the judiciary and legislature were certainly stepping in, if the limits were crossed. They pointed out that the legislators and the Parliamentarians were also not keeping quite in the case of attacks on the media.