New Delhi: To be held for the first time amid the coronavirus pandemic, the monsoon session of the parliament will witness several first-time measures. The new measures will see the use of chambers and galleries for the sitting of both Houses.
Four large display screens will be set up in the chambers and six smaller screens and audio consoles in the four galleries, as well as cables, to transmit real-time audio-visual signals and communications consoles to enable members to participate in debates and discussions.
An official of the parliament told that they are also installing an ultraviolet irradiation system in the air-conditioning unit to kill germs and viruses.
To ensure the social distancing amid the pandemic, the parliament is going to take all precautions as most of the MPs are in the vulnerable age group.
According to the official, different parties will be allotted seats – in either the chamber or galleries of the Rajya Sabha – based on their strength. The rest will be seated in the Lok Sabha chamber in two blocks – one for the ruling party and the second for others.
The special arrangement will be made for the Prime Minister, union ministers, and leaders of the house and opposition in the chamber of the Rajya Sabha. Seats for the former prime minister’s Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda will be reserved in the chamber.
Each house will be limited to four hours of functioning in a day. The Lok Sabha will start first, followed by the Rajya Sabha.
While seating for the parliament secretariat officials and the press will be limited to 15 for each house. Earlier it was told that only seven reporters will be allowed in the press gallery of the Rajya Sabha while the number for Lok Sabha stands at 15.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV through their existing arrangements in both the Houses will enable live telecast of the proceedings of the two Houses besides displaying the proceedings of each of the Houses on the screens in the other House, the secretariat said.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in a meeting on July 17, after a detailed examination of various options for holding the session, decided on using the chambers and galleries of both the Houses.
