CHENNAI: In a first for Tamil Nadu, the entire confidence vote proceedings of the Assembly were telecast live on Wednesday, turning the floor test into a public spectacle watched by lakhs across television and digital platforms. The uninterrupted live telecast marked a departure from the previous regime’s selective broadcast model.
Though the DMK government began live-streaming Assembly proceedings in May 2022 after promising greater transparency in its 2021 manifesto, opposition parties repeatedly alleged that crucial portions of their speeches were omitted from the telecast.
While Question Hour, ministers’ replies and Rule 110 statements were routinely aired, debates critical of the government, particularly during demand-for-grants discussions, were often not shown in full.
In October 2025, then Assembly Speaker M Appavu had said complete live telecast of House proceedings could be implemented only after ensuring MLAs refrained from unparliamentary language and underwent training sessions.
A day ahead of the confidence vote, DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakant and others had demanded that the entire proceedings be telecast live instead of selectively highlighting the ruling party.
Referring to the telecast, Chief Minister Vijay, in a statement on social media, said, “While live telecasting proceedings, we did not hide or suppress anything in a manner that would show only support for the ruling party and prevent people from seeing dissent.”
The uninterrupted broadcast featured sharp criticism from Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin and other opposition MLAs, leading many to hope that complete live telecasts of Assembly proceedings may now become the new norm.
