With the six months’ time between Assembly sessions coming to a close on September 24, plans are afoot to hold a session in the middle of September, sources said. Authorities are considering three venue options, as there is not enough space at the Secretariat campus to ensure social distancing.
An experimental arrangement being made at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai to conduct the Assembly
Chennai:
“The Assembly session in September will be held for three days. September 16,17 and 18 are auspicious days and the government is planning to conduct the sessions on those three days,” said sources in the Secretariat.
An announcement in this regard is expected this week, officials added.
The discussions on the demand for grants for 2020 at the State Assembly concluded on March 23 and the pandemic lockdown commenced from the next day. According to the Tamil Nadu Assembly Rules, the maximum period between two Assembly sessions should be less than six months. As per this, the next session should be held before September 24. However, authorities would not be able to convene the session inside the Secretariat campus, as there is no space to ensure social distancing norms that is mandatory as part of the lockdown restrictions. Thus, the State government is exploring the options of conducting the Assembly session outside the campus for the first time since Independence.
According to sources, the government is considering Kalaivanar Arangam, Nehru stadium and Madras University as three alternative venues for conducting the Assembly session. The officials had initiated a trial at Kalaivanar Arangam by placing chairs and making other arrangements, and Speaker P Dhanapal had inspected it last week. However, the State may consider holding the session at Nehru Stadium, as it is spacious, said sources.