Telangana: In eye of Covid, assembly session set to begin today

HYDERABAD: The MLAs and MLCs were on Sunday given oral instructions to avoid gathering in large numbers during the monsoon session of the assembly, which is to begin on Monday.
For the first time, the elected representatives will not be allowed to bring their personal secretaries along with them to the assembly, however, the ministers have been allowed to get their personal secretaries with them as they have to answer the questions.
Contact-less sanitisers have also been put up at both Houses. The assembly session will begin with the MLAs being seated at a distance, as per the Covid-19 protocol.
Sources told TOI that as the Parliament was being convened for 80 to 100 days every year, there are plans to conduct the monsoon session for at least 80 days. However, this time, the session may be held for only 20 days in view of the pandemic. “This time, the session might be conducted for 20 days, while following all precautions and with social distancing norms in place. The session will send a message to the public that things are not stagnant,” a senior political leader said.
The second assembly session was conducted for 23 days in the last 19 months. As per the rules depending on the number of MLAs in the House, a minimum of 30 days of functioning in a year is required. So far, the assembly has been convened for 177 hours after the formation of Telangana state. The opposition parties have been demanding more number of days and hours in each session. “We are expecting that the assembly will see a stormy session over the pandemic,” Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhatti Vikramarka said.