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‘Delayed Transmission’ needs new equipment further delaying telecast of House proceedings
The telecast of Parliamentary proceedings will be delayed, as the private cable operator on whose channel the earlier telecasts were shown, wants to import new equipment to allow for a delayed transmission.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa announced in April that telecasts would re-commence in May, initially for one hour covering Question Time. However, it was decided to telecast the proceedings after a 20-minute delay, so that, if any of the proceedings were deemed unparliamentary, those sections could be expunged before the telecast.
The modalities for the import of the equipment is now being worked out.
Speaker Rajapaksa told the House in April that MPs will have to strictly adhere to Standing Orders of Parliament during debates, so that, proceedings can be conducted in a proper manner.
The initial trial, live telecast in December last year came to an end after a month, following complains to the Speaker by some Government legislators, that they were being unfairly targeted by Opposition legislators on personal issues, while officials too were coming in for unfair criticism, even when they are unable to defend themselves against allegations from the Floor of the House, due to Parliamentary Privilege of the MPs.