NEW DELHI: Lok Speaker Om Birla is learnt to have mentioned a proposal on screening of journalists who have access to the Central hall of Parliament, during the General Purpose Committee meeting of the House on Monday.

The proposal found support from many members from the treasury benches, but was opposed by many opposition party leaders in the meeting.

The issue came up as part of the agenda “constitution of press advisory committee” when the Speaker mentioned that there is a proposal which has come about screening the journalists who would be allowed into the Central hall.

According to sources, many opposition leaders mentioned that no new regulation can be brought in and should not be brought in as journalists are also part of democratic set up in the country and the press is considered the “fourth pillar of democracy.”

Others mentioned that the agenda was of setting up the press advisory committee is pending and the discussion should not digress from that.

There were also those who told the Speaker that any decision on the issue of disallowing journalists in the Central Hall should be taken up only after discussions with all members and even journalist bodies.

The Speaker is learnt to have ended the matter by saying that he would hold discussions on the same with everybody concerned.

At the same meeting ,Birla also suggested that there should be some changes in the rules for private members’ bills, that is usually slotted for the second half on Fridays, in both Houses.

One of the opposition leaders said, that private members' Bills are supposed to give priority to opposition party members, since the rest of the time is slotted for the ruling side to bring in legislation, but in the last few months the pattern has been to allow MPs from the treasury benches to bring in Bills and that should be looked into.

Members were also told that with a new digital system in place, MPs will have to electronically mark their presence or swipe cards rather than signing the register every working day to mark their presence.

