Law ministry to launch TV channel, discuss issues like triple talaq, uniform civil code
NEW DELHI: The Union law ministry is all set to become the first ministry to have its own TV channel. The channel will beam discussions and constitutional interpretations on key issues like triple talaq and the uniform civil code, apart from debates on important judgments, to spread legal awareness.
The ministry has sought a separate channel for this purpose from a bouquet of 32 direct-to-home channels launched by the ministry of human resource development (HRD) called Swayam Prabha to broadcast programmes for school and university students.
The law ministry has al ready written to the HRD ministry seeking the operational rights for one channel.
The ministry is considering hiring leading Bollywood directors like Prakash Jha to produce quality programmes on legal education for the marginalised.
Jha was recently commissioned by the government to make 15 five-minute short films for the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) aimed at creating legal awareness. CJI J S Khehar is the patron-in-chief of NALSA, which is engaged in providing free legal aid to the poor.
The ministry has launched an open competition for freelance film-makers and students of various law schools with a cash prize of Rs 20,000, Rs 50,000 for five to 30-minute films on relevant issues.
“The idea is to create a bank of enriched material on legal issues that can be best used by the common man,“ said a senior officer associated with the project. Documentaries, short films and clips are what the ministry is looking for to create its bank and it is open to commissioning various production houses and law universities for content based on research and ground studies.
The government will start the project by first broadcasting programmes for a few hours every day . Once it gathers enough content, the channel will run 247.
Under UPA, there was a similar idea of launching a TV channel dedicated to the Supreme Court. However, since the apex court was completely against recording of its proceedings, the government had to shelve the idea.
The SC was not ready to allow recording of proceedings even in lower courts.
The ministry has sought a separate channel for this purpose from a bouquet of 32 direct-to-home channels launched by the ministry of human resource development (HRD) called Swayam Prabha to broadcast programmes for school and university students.
The law ministry has al ready written to the HRD ministry seeking the operational rights for one channel.
The ministry is considering hiring leading Bollywood directors like Prakash Jha to produce quality programmes on legal education for the marginalised.
Jha was recently commissioned by the government to make 15 five-minute short films for the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) aimed at creating legal awareness. CJI J S Khehar is the patron-in-chief of NALSA, which is engaged in providing free legal aid to the poor.
The ministry has launched an open competition for freelance film-makers and students of various law schools with a cash prize of Rs 20,000, Rs 50,000 for five to 30-minute films on relevant issues.
“The idea is to create a bank of enriched material on legal issues that can be best used by the common man,“ said a senior officer associated with the project. Documentaries, short films and clips are what the ministry is looking for to create its bank and it is open to commissioning various production houses and law universities for content based on research and ground studies.
The government will start the project by first broadcasting programmes for a few hours every day . Once it gathers enough content, the channel will run 247.
Under UPA, there was a similar idea of launching a TV channel dedicated to the Supreme Court. However, since the apex court was completely against recording of its proceedings, the government had to shelve the idea.
The SC was not ready to allow recording of proceedings even in lower courts.
