In the run-up to the Assembly polls, the Delhi Police has prohibited shooting of TV debates in public spaces after a violent clash took place between BJP and AAP activists in south Delhi’s Tughlakabad area on January 3. This incident left at least 12 people injured.
A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of the Delhi Police officials as it was observed that shoots of such TV debates often lead to trouble. The instructions forbidding such shoots have been conveyed to all district DCPs, police said.
When district DCPs started declining requests by news channels for shooting TV debates in their areas, representatives of TV channels met Special Commissioner (Law and Order) Deepak Mishra and even Police Commissioner BS Bassi with their plea, but they were denied permission to shoot.
Senior police officials maintained that TV channels invite the candidates of various parties along with their supporters for such shoots during which, amid allegations and counter allegations, things gradually heat up and usually end up in harsh confrontations.
