Monsoon Session 2020: Parliament To Function On Weekends, Shorter Debate Hours, No Question Hour Amid Covid 19

This Monsoon session will have many new firsts which include no Saturday, Sunday breaks for MPs, and no Question Hour.

(RSTV/PTI Photo)

The upcoming Monsoon session starting from September 14 will have a new set of rules amid the Covid 19 pandemic. This Monsson session the parliament is likely to function on weekends. Shorter debate hours, no question hours, and Covid 19 testing for all MPs are the new norms to be followed. Also Read|Covid 19 Testing For All MPs And Other Safety Precautions To Be Taken As Parliament Gears Up For Monsoon Session According to reports, the Parliament will function on Saturdays and Sundays as well, meaning the MPs will get no weekend break. While Parliament has earlier seen special sessions on Saturday, this would be the first time that a routine session will see lawmakers working on both Saturdays, and for the first time, on Sundays, as well. The new norms include shorter hours, doing away with a set format of proceedings, and many other such improvisations to ensure the safety of the Members of Parliament (MPs), the staff, and media persons, who will cover the daily functioning of the session. As per the revised schedule, the Rajya Sabha (RS) will meet between 9 am and 1 pm and the Lok Sabha (LS) between 3 pm and 7 pm. On September 14, on the first day of the session, the LS proceedings will take place only in the first half of the day. No Question Hours, Oppn can submit questions, written replies to be provided The government has decided to restrict the Question Hour, an hour-long slot that is given to lawmakers to raise questions about issues related to various ministries. The Union ministries will provide only written replies to questions put forth by the MPs instead of ministers giving replies on the floor of the House. The notification from the Parliament said that the private members' bill will also not be taken up for discussion. Covid 19 Safety measures to be followed strictly during the Monsoon session from Sept 14-Oct 1 RS Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday held discussions with Union secretaries of Home Affairs, Health & Family Welfare, Defence Research, and director-general, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) on ensuring safety of MPs. Naidu suggested that MPs should undergo Covid-19 tests in their own interest. MPs will be allowed to wear masks inside the House and a frequent tab will be kept on ventilation to keep the viral infection at bay. Covid-19 awareness video clips will also be shown to MPs. Apart from this, several other measures are being planned.

• Thermal guns and thermal scanner cameras will be used to record body temperature at entry points in the Parliament House.
• Parliament will also be properly sanitised before the session
• The facility of touchless sanitisers at 40 different places within the Parliament House
• Emergency medical teams and ambulances will be deployed
• Social distancing and other guidelines will be followed within the Lok Sabha Chamber
• Members will be allowed to address the Chair while being seated to minimise the risk of infection
• No visitors will be allowed during the session.