Secretary generals of both Houses of Parliament were asked on Saturday to make necessary arrangements for the upcoming Monsoon Session, which is likely to be physically attended by members while following social distancing norms, sources said.
More clarity emerged after a meeting between Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday on how to go about organising the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Parliament. Officers of both Houses were present at the meeting.
It has been clarified to a great extent that members of both Houses would be seated in their respective Houses — earlier speculation that the Lok Sabha would be moved to the Central Hall and the Rajya Sabha to the Lower House is being completely ruled out.
Officers from the CPWD on Saturday met the custodians of both Houses and physical measurements were taken to see how seating arrangements could be worked out keeping a distance of six feet between two members. In case more members have to be accommodated, all galleries except the Press Gallery would be utilised keeping the same norm of social distancing in mind. Both chambers and even the lobbies leading up to the Houses can be used in case members need to be accommodated.
“As every MP has a right to participate in the session, choosing MPs for participation is ruled out. But neither the Central Hall nor Vigyan Bhavan have the seating capacity to accommodate all the MPs as per social distancing norms. So, as of now, the only option seems to be a hybrid session – with some members being physically present in the House and others attending on a virtual platform,” a source told the daily.
However, for the hybrid session to happen, the rules of conducting the sessions will have to be changed in both the Houses of Parliament through a motion.
On Tuesday, Birla and Naidu reviewed all options for the monsoon session.
