The monsoon session of the Parliament kicked off on Monday with Lok Sabha assembling first. The lower House paid tributes to former President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress MP H. Vasantha Kumar, Pandit Jasraj and 13 former parliamentarians, who passed away recently.
India-China border issue, the pandemic and the naming of senior Left leaders as co-conspirators in the Delhi riots by the Delhi police — these are some of the issues that are expected to be discussed during the monsoon session.
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan is expected to to update the leaders on the COVID-19 pandemic measures taken in the country.
Here are the latest updates:
Lok Sabha | 10.35 am
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moves motion regarding business of the House. He seeks the House to suspend Question Hour and Private Members Bills.
Congress Floor Leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury opposes it. He stands to oppose, the Speaker reminds him, he can sit and oppose too. “Question Hour is a golden Hour. The Minister’s reason to cancel Question Hour is not convincing. We had Question Hour even during British Rule. When the House can run, why not have Question Hour,” he says.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi urges the Speaker not to allow executive to encroach the powers of legislature. He seeks division.
Lok Sabha | 10.20 am
Om Birla welcomes members
Lok Sabha reassembles. Speaker Om Birla is in the Chair. He welcomes the members who are participating in the session under extraordinary circumstanses. He explains the new seating arrangement in the House. He urges the members to follow the COVID protocols.
Mr. Birla also explains the new digital services available to the members.
He acknowledges the role of MPs in fighting COVID-19 pandemic. The Speaker also wishes everyone on Hindi Divas. He ends his speech by hoping a productive session.
“I know some members will object to this, but due to safety standards, members will be allowed to sit and speak,” the Speaker says.
Lok Sabha | 10.15 am
Protest against NEET
DMK MPs from both the Houses protested against National Eligibility Entrance Test or NEET, the qualification exam for joining medical courses across India.
Most political parties based in Tamil Nadu have opposed NEET, claiming it to be advantageous only for the people with privileged background.
As many as five medical aspirants ended their lives ahead of the examination in the State.
Lok Sabha | 9.35 am
Bills to be introduced in Lok Sabha today:
- The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020
- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020
- The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020
- The Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020
- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion an Facilitation) Bill, 2020
Bills for consideration and passing
- The National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2020
- The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2020.
Bills to be withdrawn
- The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Bill No. 56 of 2020).
Lok Sabha | 9.25 am
Farooq Abdullah attends session
Lok Sabha MP and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah was seen attending the monsoon session. He was sitting beside NCP member Supriya Sule.
Dr. Abdullah couldn’t attend the Budget session as he was arrested under the stringent PSA, after Article 370 was abrogated.
The veteran politician from the Kashmir valley is keen to raise the Jammu and Kashmir issue during this session, NC leaders said.
Lok Sabha | 9.20 am
The House also pays tributes to “corona warriors”, healthcare professionals, sanitation workers, and volunteers who lost their lives fighting the pandemic.
The House stands adjourned for an hour.
Lok Sabha | 9.10 am
The new normal
On any other day, this seating arrangement would make one wonder if there are adequate members in the House to maintain quorum, but during the times of pandemic, this is full House.
To ensure social distancing, the Rajya Sabha chamber and its galleries, and the Lok Sabha chamber is being used to seat members during the session.
Four large display screens, six smaller display screens and audio consoles have been installed in the four galleries, so that the proceedings can be monitored.
Lok Sabha | 9.00 am
Lok Sabha proceedings begin with National Anthem
Speaker Lok Sabha presents obituary reference. He remembers former President Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away recently. Paying glorious tributes to ‘Pranabda’, Speaker Om Birla recalls the five decades of social contribution of the late Mukherjee.
Mr. Birla also pays obituary reference of sitting MP H. Vasantha Kumar. The Speaker also pays tributes to Pandit Jasraj.
The House also pays tributes to 13 former members who passed away recently.
8.30 am
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the media ahead of entering the parliament premises:
“I am confident Parliament will give this message in one voice that it is standing solidly behind soldiers guarding our borders.”
“Many important issues will be debated in Parliament, the more debate happens, the better it is: PM before commencement of Monsoon session.”
“I am confident all MPs will collectively do value addition to discussions on several subjects.”
“Parliament session being held under special circumstances, MPs have chosen the path of doing their duty in COVID times.”
8.20 am
Govt lists 23 new bills for Monsoon session
The government has listed 23 new bills, including 11 which seek to replace ordinances, for introduction in Parliament’s Monsoon session beginning Monday.
One of the ordinances the government plans to pass as a Bill during the 18-day-long session relates to providing preventive measures against violence on heathcare personnel.
Another ordinance to be replaced by a Bill relates to reduction in the salary of MPs by 30% for a period of one year beginning April 1, 2020. The amount will be utilised in the fight against coronavirus.
The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to replace an ordinance issued recently to provide for the creation of an ecosystem where the farmers and traders enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of farmers’ produce which facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels.
8.00 am
Parliament to see several firsts during Monsoon Session
The Monsoon session of Parliament will be marked by several firsts, including the use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation system and polycarbonate separators, with the arrangements being in compliance with the social distancing norm under the COVID-19 induced restrictions.
Use of the chambers and the galleries of both the Houses for holding the session will be the first in the history of Indian Parliament since 1952. Parliament has to meet by September 23.