2 tabloid editors face jail for breach of privilege

The Legislative Assembly on Wednesday adopted recommendations made by the privileges committee of the House sentencing editors of two Kannada tabloids to one-year imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 for breach of privilege.

In 2014, MLAs K B Koliwad (now the Speaker) and B M Nagaraju had petitioned the privileges committee taking offence to “defamatory articles” against them in Hai Bangalore. After conducting proceedings, the panel came to the conclusion that the articles amounted to breach of privilege of the members and awarded Hai Bangalore editor Ravi Belagere one-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000.

In another instance, in 2017, Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath approached the privileges committee taking offence to articles appearing in a local tabloid Yelahanka Voice.

The committee found the articles defamatory and amounted to breach of privilege. The panel awarded Yelahanka Voice editor Anil Raj one-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. The editors will have to undergo an additional jail term of six months if they fail to pay the fine, the recommendation stated.

The House adopted the recommendations by a voice-vote. Sources in the Assembly Secretariat said the Speaker will now send the resolution to Bengaluru city police to take necessary action.