Nembang pledges to create strong base for free press

KATHMANDU, July 11

Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang has pledged to ensure a strong base to guarantee press freedom in the new constitution.

Receiving a memorandum from the National Print Media Network today, CA Chair Nembang urged media to be confident that the new constitution would create a concrete base that would guarantee press freedom. Stating that national print media had played an important role in restoring democracy in the country, Nembang assured that the new constitution would institutionalise achievements of democratic movements in the country.

He added that feedback from the general public on the draft constitution would be addressed while amending it before the promulgation of the constitution.

On the occasion, Dev Prakash Tripathi, Chairman, National Print Media Network, the memorandum was submitted to CA Chair Nembang seeking to correct some provisions related to the press in the draft constitution.

We want the new constitution to have a policy of promoting press rather than controlling it, said Tripathi, adding that some points regarding press incorporated in the draft are not press friendly. The National Print Media Network demanded that the new constitution should recognise press as the ‘fourth estate’ to develop and promote responsible, fair and positive journalism.