Odisha journalists are not allowed to enter the Media Hall of the Commissionerate Police office

Bhubaneswar:9/2/23: Odisha journalists are not allowed to enter the Media Hall of the Commissionerate Police office here after the lifting of Covid restrictions. Similarly, the Grievance Room of the building is not open to the public.

Earlier, Police Commissioner and senior officials were addressing the grievances of hundreds of Bhubaneswar denizens at the Grievance Room.

Both the Media Hall and Grievance Room of the building were closed in view of the Covid pandemic.

The scribes were also barred from entering into Secretariat and Assembly in view of the pandemic. After the lifting of Covid restrictions, the state government has allowed journalists for reporting in both buildings. However, the Commissionerate Police has not opened both the Media Hall and Grievance Room for over a year after the lifting of restrictions by the state government.

It is alleged that the senior police officials have directed the security personnel not to allow journalists into the building threatening them with disciplinary action.

Restriction on entry of media persons into a public office has raised concern among senior journalists who have condemned it.