File photo of the House of Parliament.
The parties present at the meeting (Shiv Sena, Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, YSR Congress and TDP) asked Lok Sabha chairman OP Birla to consider reducing the session taking into account the growing number of coronavirus cases. .
- CNN-News18 New Delhi
- Last update: September 19, 2020 6:29 PM IST
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The government and opposition parties have reached consensus to reduce the current Monsoon Session of Parliament by the end of next week, sources present at a Business Advisory Council (BAC) meeting told CNN-News18 on Saturday. The urgent BAC meeting was called by the president of Lok Sabha to decide whether the session can be shortened given the increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Parliament.
The sources said that those present at the meeting said the session could be suspended sine die on September 24.
While the government was seeking the cooperation of the opposition on pending issues, the opposition parties requested a discussion on key issues such as the management of the coronavirus pandemic, GST fees owed to states, environmental policy, and National Policy. of Education (NEP).
Spokesman OP Birla reportedly assured the opposition that one of the days next week during Zero Hour there will be a short discussion on the GST. All other issues of interest will be discussed on the last business day of the session.
The Lok Sabha has so far passed three bills to replace ordinances related to the agricultural sector. In addition, both Houses approved a bill to replace an ordinance to cut parliamentarians’ salaries by 30% to increase funds in the fight against the pandemic.
The parties present at the meeting – Shiv Sena, Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, YSR Congress and TDP – asked the Spokesperson to consider shortening the session.
Despite the stricter protocols in place, two Union ministers, Nitin Gadkari and Prahlad Singh Patel, tested positive while attending Parliament. Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe also tested positive the day after his attendance at Parliament, where he had even participated in a discussion.
More than 250 Secretariat employees and various members of the media staff who came to cover the session also tested positive. The government has even ordered daily tests for journalists entering Parliament to cover Saturday’s session.
A minister with knowledge of the events told CNN-News18: “It was a very difficult decision to hold a session in the middle of a pandemic, but we are bound by a constitutional duty. It is important for us to pass the ordinances, otherwise it will expire. We will get a call after Sunday to see what can be done. “
India, which recorded 93,337 new infections in the past 24 hours, has recorded the highest number of cases in a single day in the world since the beginning of August. India is the second most affected country after the United States, with a total registered cases of 5.3 million. The virus killed 1,247 people in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 85,619, government data showed Saturday.
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