Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu told MPs to desist from leaking info on Parliamentary Panels (File)
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu has asked chairpersons and members of parliamentary standing committees to avoid providing to the media confidential information related to panel meetings. Mr Naidu's memo comes days before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology is expected to question representatives from Facebook after allegations that the social networking site deliberately ignored incendiary content from members of the ruling BJP and right-wing voices.
In a letter to the panel chiefs, Mr Naidu said it has been observed that the media has been quoting in their reportage the proceedings of the committees related to the subject matters or the legislative bills under their consideration and examination.
"As you are aware, the proceedings of the Committee meetings are confidential and it is not permissible for a Member of the Committee or anyone who has access to its proceedings to communicate, directly or indirectly to the media any information regarding its proceedings, including any part of the report or any conclusions arrived at by the Committee, finally or tentatively before the report has been presented to the House, as such action tantamount to breach of privilege of the House," Mr Naidu said in the letter.
His action came days after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla wrote a similar letter to chairpersons of parliamentary standing committees asking them to ensure confidentiality of the panel meetings.
"I urge upon you to impress upon the Members of the Parliament belonging to your Committee and participating in the proceedings to strictly adhere to the existing provisions/direction relating to confidentiality and refrain from premature divulgence of any information to the media, till the Reports are presented to the House," Mr Naidu said.
The letter assumes significance as the chairmen of both Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, who are from the Congress party, have clashed with the BJP members of the panels over selection of the subjects for committee meetings.
The Information Technology panel - headed by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor - will hear the Facebook representatives on September 2 to discuss charges made in a US media report that the social media giant favoured the ruling BJP for business considerations.
The members of the ruling party have alleged that the Congress chairpersons made these subjects public for media attention before discussing them with the committee. The BJP leaders have alleged that Mr Tharoor has broken rules by tweeting his intention to summon Facebook before the panel without discussing it with the members.
(With inputs from PTI)