Government modifies order to stop media entry to Vidhana Soudha third floor

BENGALURU: The state government withdrew a mooted circular on Friday, which virtually stopped the entry of mediapersons to the third floor of Vidhana Soudha, which houses the offices of the Chief Minister, senior ministers and other officials. After the notification sparked outrage, the CM issued a clarification on the order, saying both room No. 333 on the third floor and room No. 9 on the ground floor will be used by the media.

As per the controversial circular, media discourses would have taken place in room No. 9 on the ground floor of Vidhana Soudha and electronic media persons couldn’t question ministers or officials on camera in the corridors of power. The circular was withdrawn on the directive of CM HD Kumaraswamy after media houses slammed the move as “undemocratic” and “arbitrary”.

The order clearly specifics that electronic media persons couldn’t go for soundbytes in Vidhana Soudha.The circular was reportedly issued based on the result of a meeting held under the chairmanship of Kumaraswamy on August 7 to identify a separate room for media interactions and restrict their free movement on the third floor.

Chief secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar reportedly selected the room on the ground floor to ensure mediapersons don’t enter the third floor of Vidhana Soudha. This was done after Kumaraswamy and other ministers synced into trouble for making controversial comments before electronic media when they approached them for statements while walking in the corridors of power.