Srinagar, September 30: Doda MLA Mehraj Malik was marshalled out of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Wednesday following a heated exchange with the Speaker during a discussion on regulation of social media and the role of the media.
Participating in the debate, Malik questioned the need to continue discussing regulation of social media, arguing that there was no existing law preventing people from using social media platforms.
He said the Assembly should not unnecessarily spend valuable business hours discussing an issue that could not be effectively addressed without an appropriate legal framework.
Malik’s remarks led to an exchange with the Speaker, who accused the MLA of creating “unnecessary scenes” in the House. The Speaker subsequently directed that Malik be marshalled out of the Assembly.
The incident occurred during a broader discussion on media and social media regulation. Education and Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed the House that the government was working on a new media policy.
Several legislators also called for clearer rules governing social media and the functioning of the media, while others raised questions over the feasibility of regulating digital platforms in the present environment.
