Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Rajya Sabha member and former Finance Minister P. Chidamabaram on Wednesday wrote to the presiding officers of their respective Houses suggesting an App be developed for virtual session for those members who don’t want to physically attend it.

Mr. Chowdhury, in his letter to Speaker Om Birla, pointed out that the pandemic death toll has crossed 50,000 and India could witness 70,000 daily infections by September, making the facility of an App “absolutely necessary”.

In his letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu, Mr. Chidamabaram said the option to virtually attend Parliament will ensure maximum attendance and participation.

He strongly backed the decision to hold the monsoon session, expected in September, but maintained that despite special arrangements, when 245 members gather along with nearly 300 officers, staff and security personnel, it will be “nearly impossible” to stop the spread of virus.

“I am afraid this apprehension will discourage many Members from participating physically in the proposed session,” Mr. Chidamabaram said in his letter, a copy of which was sent to Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The former Finance Minister said since the proceedings of the Houses are not confidential (unlike the proceedings of the Standing Committees), the Rajya Sabha (RS) Secretariat should deploy technology and enable “Members to participate either physically or virtually in the proceedings of the House”.

“As in the case of the Supreme Court and High Courts, the RS Secretariat should select an APP. All Members should be requested to install the App in an electronic device. A LINK should be provided each day. Members who wish to attend the House physically may do so and Members who wish to attend the House virtually will be enabled by the App and the LINK to do so,” he said

“A Member attending virtually may also speak in the House. Ordinarily, his/her MIC will be muted, but when he/she is called by the Chair to speak the MIC will be unmuted and the Member may speak for the allotted time. At all other times, the Member can witness and listen to the proceedings.”

Mr. Chowdhury made identical suggestions to the Speaker and the Secretariat.