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With Covid-19 pandemic casting its shadow and strict social distancing norms in place the stage is set for a the monsoon session of parliament. It is expected to be a heated one as the opposition is keen to corner the government on host of critical issues – Line of Actual Control standoff, handling of the coronavirus pandemic and economic slowdown .
During the The 18-day session , government has listed 23 legislations for consideration and passage including 11 bills replacing ordinances.
All MPs have been asked to undergo a COVID test and only those with a negative report will be allowed to sit in the session. The security and secretarial staff in Parliament have also been asked to take coronavirus tests before their entry.
While on the first day of the session on Monday, Lok Sabha will sit in the morning from 9 am to 1 pm, Rajya Sabha will sit in the evening starting at 3 pm on Monday.
On the rest of the days, Rajya Sabha will sit for four hours in the morning and Lok Sabha in the evening.
The chambers of both houses and the galleries will be used for each of the session of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and big screens have been put up to enable members to see the proceedings all over the Parliament.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the monsoon session is being held amid fear and unprecedented times due to COVID.
He said, “India and China are in a conflict situation in Ladakh and there is tension, GDP is tumbling and inflation is rising”.
“We want to discuss many issues in Parliament that the country and its citizens would want to hear about,” he said.
Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has also demanded that there should be a discussion on the border conflict with China, COVID, GST dues and unemployment.
Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi will miss some days of the session as she has left the US for medical check-up. Rahul Gandhi is accompanying her in this trip.
