Budget session of Parliament from January 29: 10 points

Here’s everything you need to know about the Budget session this year

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said on Tuesday all preparations have been made for the Budget session of Parliament, which will begin on January 29, keeping the coronavirus pandemic in mind. Birla said all members of Parliament will be requested to undergo the Covid-19 test before the start of the Budget session.

The Parliament building reflected in a puddle after heavy rain during the monsoon session of the Indian Parliament in New Delhi. (AP)

He also said that the House of Parliament will meet in function in two different shifts and that Question Hour will be allowed during the session for an already fixed time of one hour.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Budget session this year:

1. The session will be held in two parts -- from January 29 to February 15 and March 8 to April 8. The session will have 35 sittings: 11 in the first part and 24 in the second part.

2. President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on January 29 at 11am. Both Houses will adjourn on February 15 and meet again on March 8. The Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha will operate in shifts for the session. The Upper House will sit for the session from 9am to 2pm and the Lower House will function from 4pm to 8 pm.

3. Lok Sabha speaker Birla said that all members of Parliament will be requested to undergo the Covid-19 test before the start of the Budget session. All arrangements for RTPCR Covid-19 tests of MPs have been made near their residence.

4. In Parliament premises, the RTPCR tests will be conducted on January 27-28. Arrangements have also been made for these tests of families and staff members of MPs.

5. Parliament members will need to compulsorily wear masks and maintain social distancing norms as well. The Parliament officials will also undertake sanitisation of cars and other vehicles entering Parliament including various files.

6. Question Hour will take place during the Budget session.

7. Private members' business which usually takes place on Friday afternoons will also take place. The House members will be allowed to introduce their own bills which will be debated by the House.

8. Due to the pandemic, lawmakers will not be allowed to crowd in the Central Hall or Lok Sabha to listen to the President’s speech and finance minister’s budget speech. The proceedings will play out with MPs spaced out in the galleries and chambers of both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the budget speech. They will also be distributed between the Central Hall, Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the President’s speech.

9. Plexiglass sheets, giant TV screens, voting slips will be used for the budget session.

10. The upcoming budget will be the first session of this year after two sessions were cut short last year and the winter session entirely skipped due to the pandemic.