Srinagar, Oct. 31 -- Legislators on Thursday raised the issue of denial of government advertisements to some of the major newspapers and news organisation in the UT criticising the opaque nature of distributing advertisements and also sought a review of the media policy enacted after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. During the zero hour of the autumn session of J&K assembly, CPI (M) leader and MLA kulgam , MY Tarigami, raised the issue of press freedom and the plight of media houses in J&K. "There were more fetters on press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir...We still have four journalists in jail. Secondly, there has been highhandedness in distribution of advertisements without following any criteria," Tarigami said. Tarigami said that after the formation of an elected government , there should have been a vibrant media policy. "It is still not present. Our information department is as confused as it was before elections . I am surprised. If we read the Reorganisation Act, there is a rule that besides public order and services (of higher officers), all the institutions are with an elected government. Then why is there confusion? There is no policy on advertisements and secondly there is no clarity of clearance of files (for ads to organisations). Even today newspapers have been neglected, before as well and even now, despite an elected government," he said. He also sought help to the media organisations which are not yet empanelled. "We must ensure freedom of press, we must ensure protection of our reporters and there should be formation of a media policy and a policy on advertisement distribution so that the arbitrariness is removed," he said. Pulwama MLA Waheed Para demanded review of the media policy which was brought in after the abrogation of article 370 in 2019. "After August 5, 2019, there was a communication blockade in J&K. A media policy was brought in and selectively some newspapers were given ads while others were denied. One of the largest circulated newspapers in J&K is not even on the list of papers which are given ads. Journalists are not given accreditations and new portals and newspapers are nor empanelled," Para said. He requested the government to review this policy. "If LG didn't change this, we would have a new government, CM is the information minister and the promise of new media policy was made in budget as well as in your manifesto, why is that the media policy is not being reviewed and a new policy is not being made. There is a need to review grant of advertisements which are being done on the basis of favouritism. Crores of money are being given to select newspapers while one portal was banned and another's name is not even on the list of ads," he said....