New Delhi: On Tuesday, the government issued an order stating that the two parliament channels - Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV have been merged and will be called Sansad TV. Retired IAS officer Ravi Capoor has been appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sansad TV for a period of one year or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
According to IANS, the order read "consequent upon the joint decision of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha and the Speaker, Lok Sabha to merge RSTV and LSTV into Sansad Television (Sansad TV)."
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Further, it said "Ravi Capoor, IAS (1986: Assam-Meghalaya) (Retd.) has been appointed as the CEO, Sansad TV, on contract basis, for a period of one year with immediate effect or until further orders, whichever is earlier."
Lok Sabha TV broadcasted live and recorded coverage of the lower house of Parliament or Lok Sabha; while Rajya Sabha TV covered the sessions of the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament).
The last CEO of Rajya Sabha TV is Manoj Pandey whereas the sister channel Lok Sabha TV was headed by Aashish Joshi.
Both Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV were must-carry channels in India. Lok Sabha TV is owned and operated by Lok Sabha and in 2006 DD Lok Sabha was replaced by Lok Sabha TV (LSTV) a 24-hour TV channel broadcasting in Hindi and English. Similarly, Rajya Sabha is owned and operated solely by the Rajya Sabha, it officially launched in 2011 and it telecasts in Hindi and English too.
Rajya Sabha TV produced the 10-part TV mini-series Samvidhaan which released in 2014. It was directed by the noted film director Shyam Benegal. It was based on the making of the Indian constitution.