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Centre will abide by Speakers’ decision: Union minister on curtailment of Parliament session
The minister made the comments amidst multiple parties demanding a curtailment of the Parliament session because of the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam.
Union minister for parliamentary affairs Prahlad Joshi said on Monday the government is ready to abide by the decision of the Speakers regarding the issue of cutting short the ongoing session of Parliament over the upcoming assembly elections. “Over 100 MPs have requested and some have met the Speaker regarding the curtailment of the ongoing Parliament session ahead of the assembly polls. Whatever decision is taken by the Speaker and chairman, the government is ready for both,” news agency ANI quoted Joshi as saying.
The minister made the comments amidst multiple parties demanding a curtailment of the Parliament session because of the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam. The second part of Parliament’s Budget Session began on Monday and is scheduled to complete by April 8. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said on March 4 that his party would seek for the rescheduling of Parliament’s session citing state assembly polls, news agency PTI reported.
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Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O'Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay asked M Venkaiah Naidu, the chairman of the Upper House and vice president, to adjourn the ongoing Budget Session. However, three opposition parties - the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Shiv Sena and the Samajwadi Party - have denied supporting the TMC’s demand, according to reports by ANI.
Both Houses of Parliament announced on Monday that the sessions will resume as per normal schedule, according to a news report from ANI. The Houses were functioning under curtailed hours because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“On the request from many members from various parties, the Chairman has decided that from Tuesday, the sitting of Rajya Sabha will commence from 11am till 6pm as usual timings of the House. Members will sit in the Rajya Sabha and gallery,” Vandana Chavan, who chaired the Rajya Sabha on Monday, was quoted as saying.
