Covid test must for all MPs, attendance to be marked digitally

In a briefing before the start of the monsoon session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said that due to pandemic, special provisions have been made for sitting arrangements for members of Lok Sabha. According to the Speaker, in the Lok Sabha 257 members will sit, whereas 172 will be accommodated in the visitors’ gallery and rest would sit in Rajya Sabha where 60 would be inside and 51 would be seated in the gallery. Om Birla also suggested that MPs above the age of 65 should sit in the gallery. Screens would be set up in both the houses so that virtually all members are joined together. When he was asked about the seating arrangement, Birla said that he has given it to all parties and now it’s up to the floor leaders of the House to decide where their members would sit.

The Lok Sabha will begin on 14 September and on the first day, it will convene from 9 am to 1 pm and from the next day, it will function from3 pm to 7 pm. However, the Speaker said that if needed, the session can be extended even after 7 pm. The Speaker also added that he would wish that the Lok Sabha goes fully digital in this session and he has urged members to cooperate fully and an attendance register app has been formed for Lok Sabha members to mark their presence. Om Birla appealed to all parties to come together in a difficult time of pandemic and work together.

Given the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Speaker has also made it very clear that in the coming monsoon session, every Lok Sabha MP will have to get their Covid test report to enter Parliament. Not only this, all the staff members of the Lok Sabha secretariat and media would also be tested for Covid-19.