Budget session: Houses likely to function in shifts amid COVID spike
The government is considering asking both Houses (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha) to function in shifts for the upcoming Budget session of Parliament. The development comes amid a steep spike in the daily COVID-19 cases across the country. According to top sources with the government, Parliamentary Affairs Ministry has sent a proposal to run the Houses shift-wise in the upcoming first half of the Budget session of Parliament, which is likely to begin from January 31 and will continue to the second week of February.
Off late, more than 400 Parliament staff members had tested positive for COVID-19, following which an extensive disinfection drive will also be undertaken in the parliament complex in the next few days.
Consequently, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Speaker of Lok Sabha had reviewed the situation and had given instructions to both houses to prepare a plan for smooth functioning of both houses during the budget session of Parliament amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Winter session, 2021 that began on November 20 and continued till December 23, functioned in normal circumstances as the cases of COVID-19 dropped.
The Budget session will emulate the health and safety protocols used in the earlier sessions since the emergence of COVID-19.
"If parliamentary affairs ministry proposal is approved by the government, then both Houses: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will function shift wise. Rajya Sabha will begin from 9 am and will continue till 2 pm in the first shift while the second shift Lok Sabha will begin from 3 pm and will continue to 8 pm except on Budget day. On Budget day, Lok Sabha will function in the first shift," sources said.
Sources further said, "the decision to run the Houses in shifts is taken to maintain social distancing in Parliament and MPs will sit in the halls of both the Houses keeping social distancing during the functioning of House".
(With inputs from agencies)
