Rajya Sabha Chairman, LS Speaker discuss monsoon session of Parliament, favour e-parliament as long-term option

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday held a detailed discussion on holding the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament in view of the coronavirus-induced norm of social distancing, sources said.

They said the leaders have taken note of reports suggesting that the fight against COVID-19 is likely to be a long haul.

Naidu convened the meeting at his official residence which was also attended by the secretaries-general of both the houses, sources said.

Both the presiding officers have underscored the need to adopt technology to enable Parliament sessions as a long-term option to tide over situations when regular meetings are not possible.

Sources said they have noted that since there is no requirement of maintaining the confidentiality of the proceedings of both the Houses, which are open to general public besides being telecast live, virtual Parliament is an option to be explored.

With regard to the ensuing monsoon session of Parliament, they have directed the secretaries-general to examine the feasibility of using the Central Hall of Parliament appropriately to ensure social distancing.

The options to be considered include - holding the meeting of Lok Sabha in the Central Hall with the Rajya Sabha shifting to the chamber of Lok Sabha and the sittings of both the Houses to be held on alternate days, the sources said.

The two officials were also directed to examine in detail various technical and other arrangements to be ensured to enable smooth functioning of both the houses.

Both the secretaries-general briefed the presiding officers regarding issues connected with the proposed virtual meetings of various committees of Parliament. These include providing a safe technological platform, complying with the rules of confidentiality of deliberations in such meetings and the difficulties in ensuring the same in case of virtual meetings, infrastructure upgrade to be undertaken to enable virtual meetings and the time likely to be taken in this regard.

Taking cognisance of the long-existing rules regarding confidentiality in respect of meetings of the committees and the implications of holding virtual meetings, Naidu and Birla opined that it would be necessary to refer the issue of virtual meetings to the rules committees of both the houses.

Regarding the view expressed in some quarters that Presiding Officers can suspend the rules, officials have pointed out that such "suspension requires a motion to be carried in the House and presiding officers cannot supersede rules by issuing directions."

Naidu and Birla noted that the chairmen of various committees of Parliament including the department related standing committees are empowered to convene regular meetings of respective committees on their own. However, in view of the feedback being received from some members of parliament about their inability to travel on account of quarantine norms in various states, they felt that it may be better for the Chairmen of various committees to convene meetings after ascertaining the likely attendance of members.

Speaking about attendance in the regular meetings of the committees, officials have informed that the average attendance in the meetings of the eight department-related standing committees of Rajya Sabha over the last three years has been about 45 per cent. This, in effect, means that on an average, 14 of the 31 members of each committee attended the meetings.

With some newly-elected members of Rajya Sabha conveying to Naidu the difficulties involved in travelling to Delhi in view of quarantine norms, the Rajya Sabha Chairman has deferred administering oath to 37 Members elected unopposed.

( With inputs from ANI )