Parliament Session May Be Cut Short As Covid-19 Cases Rise Among MPs

The central government is looking to cut short the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament in light of the rising number of Covid-19 cases among MPs, but nothing is finalised so far, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

The government wants to take all parties on board and also get 11 ordinances passed as laws by the parliament, the people said. Leaders in the Lok Sabha are likely to meet later today to discuss the issue, they said.

The Lok Sabha has so far passed three bills to replace agri-related ordinances. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have passed an ordinance into law to cut by 30% salaries of members of parliament to ramp up funds in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the people cited above, after several MPs tested positive for Covid-19 during the monsoon session, opposition parties conveyed to the government that conducting the full 18-day session could be a risky affair.

The government then started thinking in that direction, they said.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Prahlad Patel have tested positive for Covid-19. Both had attended the ongoing session which began on Sept. 14. Several MPs had tested positive for Covid-19 right around the time the session began were advised to not attend proceedings.

In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus within the parliament complex, reporters and parliamentary staff entering the premises now have to undergo the rapid antigen tests on a daily basis, according to a new protocol put in place. Members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are undergoing RT-PCR test on regular intervals on a voluntary basis, said a senior parliament official.

A member of parliament can undergo RT-PCR test as many times he or she likes.

Journalists covering the monsoon session from the press galleries of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha also have the option to undergo the RT-PCR test, which is valid for 72 hours.

Government officials accompanying their respective ministers during bill discussions also have to show a negative report of RT-PCR test taken within the last 72 hours of their visit to the complex.

The monsoon session of the parliament, the first during the pandemic, started on Sept. 14 and is slated to end on Oct. 1. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are meeting in shifts of four hours each without a weekend break.

The budget session was shortened in March after the coronavirus outbreak.