Meghalaya Speaker bans MLAs from recording selfie videos inside Assembly

Thomas A Sangma, Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, on February 18 prohibited members from recording selfie videos inside the House and posting them on social media, terming the practice a breach of parliamentary decorum.

The ruling came a day after Ardent Basaiawmoit, chief of the Voice of the People’s Party (VPP), uploaded a video clip of himself attending the ongoing Budget Session. The video was later deleted.

Addressing the House, the Speaker said that a member had recorded a video of himself while participating in the proceedings and circulated it on social media, which amounted to a violation of established parliamentary practices.

He further observed that such conduct was not in keeping with the spirit of the rules governing members, specifically referring to Rule 275 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.

“I hereby inform the House that such an activity — a member taking video of himself while speaking inside the House and circulating it on social media — is prohibited. This is my ruling,” Sangma stated.

The directive is aimed at maintaining decorum and upholding the sanctity of legislative proceedings during Assembly sessions.