After much delibrations the two dedicated channels — Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV — that air the parliamentary proceedings, have been merged into a single entity called the ‘Sansad TV’.

But, despite the merger, the two channels are likely to continue to be operational but under the banner of Sansad TV for the live telecast of proceedings of the two houses.

According to a government order, the decision was jointly taken by the Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Former bureaucrat Ravi Capoor has also been appointed as the CEO of Sansad TV, for a period of one year, with immediate effect and will be spearheading the merger process.

Sources pointed out that while the merger will focus on integration of resources and talent for efficiencies and cost savings. These two channels are also expected to serve as two language variants of Sansad TV by airing similar programming in English and Hindi , when not telecasting live proceedings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The merger had been under discussion for the past two years. A six-member committee chaired by former Prasar Bharati Chairperson A Surya Prakash had submitted its recommendations in February 2020, on modalities for pooling resources, manpower and technology through the merger of the two channels. The committee had held several rounds of discussions including with Parliamentarians from various policial parties before submission of its recommendations.

Subsequent to the merger, the services of the current CEO of RSTV, Manoj Kumar Pandey have also been terminated, a separate order issued by Rajya Sabha Secretariat stated.

While Lok Sabha TV was launched in 2006, Rajya Sabha TV was launched in 2011.

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