No question hour in monsoon session of Parliament, sittings on weekends as well
Sep 02, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 2 : There will be no question hour and private members' business in both Houses of Parliament in the monsoon session amid coronavirus pandemic, according to official bulletins by Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
The monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to begin from September 14 and is slated to conclude on October 1, without any day off.
Both the houses of Parliament will sit for four hours daily adhering to coronavirus precautionary measures. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu have already held a meeting with officials and gave instructions in the presence of the Health Ministry officials regarding how COVID-19 guidelines should be followed in the session.
On the first day of the Session on September 14, the Lower House will meet from 9 AM to 1 PM and sitting in the Upper House will begin 3 PM to 7 PM.
On subsequent days, proceedings in Rajya Sabha will be held from 9 AM till 1 PM while the time for Lok Sabha sittings has been fixed from 3 PM to 7 PM.
According to the Lok Sabha bulletin, in view of the request of the government owing to the prevailing extraordinary situation due to COVID-19, the Speaker has directed that no day be fixed for transaction of Private Members' Businesses during the session.
Members have been informed that Summons have been issued through the Member's portal or email only.
As per the Rajya Sabha notification, members are informed that the facility of online submission of notices is available on 'e-Notices Portal'.
"Using this portal, members may submit notices for various parliamentary devices in electronic form. In view of the present circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Members are requested to submit the notices required by the Rules only through the e-Notices Portal, as far as possible, to avoid physical handling of papers and visits to Notice Office," it said.
The account credentials have been issued to members for "Member Login Portal" will work for the "e-Notices Portal" also.
Members may use the "e-Notices Portal" for online submission of all types of notices, including notices of Questions, which is easy to use. However, the existing practice of receiving notices in physical forms in the Notice Office will continue, the notification stated.
