NEW DELHI: The Government would hold a meeting with stakeholders on the proposed legislation to regulate the broadcasting media before going to the Cabinet, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told the Lok Sabha here on Monday.

Terming as "uncalled for" the apprehensions that the fundamental rights of the media would be encroached upon, he said the legislation was being brought in consultation with the media and Ministries concerned.

The proposal is still at the consultation stage and details have yet to be finalised," he said, while replying to questions from Sippiparai Ravichandran (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), Rewati Raman Singh (Samajwadi Party) and Mohammad Salim (Communist Party of India-Marxist).

He said till a bill was brought, it would be difficult to stop obscene programmes being telecast after midnight by some private channels.

On whether the Government was taking any step to check "emerging monopolies" in the media, he said the proposed bill was now at the drafting stage, but he shared the concern over monopoly control on FM stations, and the electronic media.

He said "nothing at any point of time will be done by the UPA Government which is meant to encroach upon fundamental rights of the press and electronic media as has been reported in a section of the press, which is clearly an uncalled for apprehension and out of context."

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