A fresh directive limiting journalists’ movement within the Vidhana Soudha has sparked a sharp political dispute, with opposition parties accusing the government of undermining democratic transparency.
Under the new rules, reporters are required to conduct interactions with elected representatives only at a designated location inside the premises and are barred from freely following leaders through the corridors of the legislature complex. Authorities maintain that the measure is intended to ease congestion and strengthen security management within the building.
However, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and other opposition groups have strongly criticised the move, describing it as an assault on press freedom and drawing parallels with restrictive periods in the country’s political history. They argue that limiting media access weakens public accountability and curtails open political engagement.
Despite the backlash, the government has defended the directive as an administrative necessity, even as the controversy continues to dominate the state’s political discourse.
