Government may not curtail Budget session over coronavirus outbreak

The ongoing second half of the budget session that started from March 2, will complete its due course till April 3, top government functionaries said on Monday.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has not taken any call to curtail the ongoing budget session of Parliament in view of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. Instead, it appears to be in favour of continuing the session till the end, political leaders and officials familiar with the matter indicated.

The entire Parliament complex is being disinfected regularly and more hand sanitisers are being kept in the premises for use. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

The ongoing second half of the budget session that started from March 2, will complete its due course till April 3, top government functionaries said on Monday. There was speculation about an early closure of the session after the government listed the demand for grants for different ministries and the Appropriation Bill for passage in Lok Sabha on Monday. The speculation also gained traction because of the government’s advisories to avoid large gatherings.

While the financial business, including the Finance bill for FY 20-21, will be cleared in the next few days, officials pointed out it is not any indication that an early adjournment is imminent.

Rather, one senior official said, if the Parliament session is curtailed, it will create additional panic among a larger section of the people, a situation the government wants to avoid.

A senior union minister also argued that all government offices have been kept open, even as many private institutions or bodies have locked down their establishments and asked employees to work from home. “If the budget session is abruptly ended, then there is a possibility that government employees may demand that their offices should be shut. We can’t create such a situation unnecessarily,” said a minister.

The entire Parliament complex is being disinfected regularly and more hand sanitisers are being kept in the premises for use.

Trinamool Congress floor leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien posted a picture, showing a bottle of hand sanitiser kept beside the attendance register of the Upper House.