Raipur: A panel instituted by the Chhattisgarh government in February to lay down a set of laws for the protection of journalists has begun its three-day visit to the state from November 16 to collect suggestions from various stakeholders.
The committee is headed by Justice Aftab Alam, a retired Supreme Court judge. It has prepared a draft of the Chhattisgarh Protection of Mediapersons Act that has now been put out in the public domain for suggestions. However, rights activists have flayed the draft, pointing out that the local administration still has a control over the action under the law while it is behind most of the threats to journalists.
The committee includes Justice Aftab Alam, Justice Anjana Prakash, a retired judge of the Patna High Court, senior Supreme Court advocate Rajuram Chandran, Advocate General of Chhattisgarh High Court, DGP, Principal Secretary (Law Department), Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Ruchir Garg, Dainik Deshbandhu Chief Editor Lalit Surjan and Nagpur-based senior journalist Prakash Dubey as members.
