As many as five members of the Lok Sabha have tested positive for coronavirus ahead of the parliament session which is scheduled to begin on Monday.

It is to be noted that members of the parliament have been asked to get their COVID-19 test done within 72 hours before the start of the Parliamentary session at any hospital/laboratory authorised by the government or at Parliament House Complex.

It is mandatory for all MPs to undergo a COVID-19 test before attending a Parliamentary session. 

Moreover, the all-party meeting which was to be held this year prior to the monsoon session of the Parliament was cancelled due to the deadly virus. The meeting was supposed to be held by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, aimed at discussing the the agenda and set targets before the Parliament session.      

Meanwhile, preparations are in full-swing for the parliament's upcoming Monsoon Session amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several first-time measures are being taken as MP's look to discharge their constitutional duties during this period of a pandemic.

Measures would include testing of MPs, staggered seating arrangements in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and the use of both chambers and galleries to accommodate the members.

Moreover, Members of Parliament in Lok Sabha will have to register their attendance digitally using a mobile application - Attendance Register App amid coronavirus pandemic.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had said that Chambers will be sanitised before the MPs attend the session.

Both the Houses of Parliament will sit for four hours daily adhering to coronavirus precautionary measures. On the first day of the session on September 14, the lower House will meet from 9 am to 1 pm and sitting in the Upper House will be from 3 pm to 7 pm. On subsequent days, proceedings in Rajya Sabha will be held from 9 am till 1 pm while that of Lok Sabha will be from 3 pm to 7 pm.

However, Question Hour has been scrapped for this monsoon session of the parliament, and instead, written questions could be asked and they will have to be answered. Birla further said that Zero Hour will be of half-an-hour duration.