Updated: September 19, 2020 9:09:26 pm
Lok Sabha President Om Birla arrives to attend the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at the Annex of Parliament House, New Delhi (Photo by PTI / Manvender Vashist)
Amid growing fear over the spread of Covid-19 in the Parliament building premises, MPs in Lok Sabha have reached consensus to reduce the current Monsoon Session.
With the treasury banks insisting on passing the listed bills and the opposition seeking debates on crucial issues, Lok Sabha Chairman Om Birla is expected to make a final decision on the dates to close the session. The Monsoon Session that started on September 14 with several new and unprecedented protocols against the spread of Covid, it was scheduled to end on October 1.
The Indian Express reported on Friday that apprehensions about the spread of the virus could lead to an early termination of the session
On Saturday afternoon, spokeswoman Birla called an “urgent meeting” of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) to discuss the reduction of the session. “There was a consensus on reducing the session taking into account the situation of the pandemic,” said a regional party leader after the BAC meeting. “Whether it’s Wednesday or Thursday, the speaker will make a decision,” she added.
Follow LIVE updates on the monsoon session of Parliament
At the meeting, the government insisted that it wants to liquidate all the bills it has listed. While Congress stated it wanted a detailed discussion on a number of issues, the discussion under 193 not being voted on, including the Covid-19 situation, the economic slowdown, and the National Education Policy, the Trinamool Congress said it wants discuss GST compensation for the state in this session.
“In the worst case, we want to discuss the Covid situation at least,” said a congressional leader.
At the last BAC meeting, the government listed 14 items and so far only eight of them have been approved. On Friday, the government wanted the Lok Sabha to allot time for six more bills in the coming days. It included three work-related bills, including the Code of Industrial Relations, the Social Security Code and the Code of Safety, Health and Working Conditions, the Official Languages Bill of Jammu and Kashmir, the Bill of the National Commission for Allied Professions and Health 2020 and the Foreign Regulation Bill (Amendment).
With more than 30 MP including Union Ministets Nitin Gadkari and Prahlad Patel and several members of parliament staff who tested positive over the past week, there has been a palpable sense of concern and apprehension in Parliament over the spread of the infection.
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