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Parliament to return to regular morning schedule after nearly a year
On Monday, Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu announced that the House will meet at 11am on Tuesday. A similar announcement is expected in Lok Sabha too
After nearly a year, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will return to their usual schedule amid talks that the second half of Parliament’s Budget Session could be shortened by two weeks.
During the pandemic, members of the two Houses started sitting in different shifts to ensure social distancing norms. On Monday, Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu announced that the House will meet at 11am on Tuesday. A similar announcement is expected in Lok Sabha too.
The original schedule from 11am to 6pm will give more time for the two Houses to clear business or discuss issues.
A Rajya Sabha official said that both Houses could meet at 11am from the second week following the vaccination of eligible MPs. “Since many MPs would be busy campaigning, we are not expecting a full house this session,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
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Another official said: “Therefore, the current system of allotment of seats covering both Houses will be scrapped and MPs of one House can be accommodated in their own House. This will allow simultaneous running of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.”
Many Opposition MPs have requested Naidu and Speaker Om Birla to curtail the proceedings in view of the upcoming assembly elections, people aware of the matter said on Sunday, a day ahead of the resumption of the House.
A Parliament official said that government managers as well as many Opposition leaders have requested the Rajya Sabha chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker to cut short the session as leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Left bloc, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and many regional outfits would be busy campaigning for the election.
Another senior official said on condition of anonymity that the second half of the session, which starts on Monday, may run for just two weeks. “Elections are starting from March 27. Keeping political considerations in mind, it looks like the session is likely to run for two weeks only,” the official added.
