Karnataka assembly speaker cracks the whip, two editors get jail sentence

In an unprecedented move, Speaker of the Assembly, K.B. Koliwad announced stringent punishment in the form of imprisonment for a year and a fine of Rs 10,000 each for editors of two newspapers which published defamatory articles on two MLAs.

As per the order, Anil Raj of Yalahanka Voice had published an article on Yelahanka MLA, S.R. Vishwanath, which was referred to the privilges committee for inquiry. Similarly Hai Bangalore, a Kannada weekly, published an article on Shiraguppa Congress MLA, Nagaraj, which was also referred to the committee.

The committee, headed by Mr Vishwanath, gave a report on the last day of the legislature session. The report was accepted and the Speaker announced that the House had approved punitive action as suggested by the committee.

This is perhaps the first such ruling in the last 25 years. The last time that the House took up a case against an editor was against Tarun Bharat from Belagavi for publishing an article against the House. The editor was summoned and admonished. A Kannada eveninger Karavali Ale was in the midst of such a controversy but the House did not take any punitive action against the paper.