NEW DELHI: Amid speculations on convening the winter session of Parliament in the wake of the resurgent Covid-19 pandemic in the national capital, Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said the Lok Sabha Secretariat was ready to hold the session but it was up to the government to take a decision.
The Parliament is making all arrangements to hold the session with safety precautions in place, Birla said, adding that the final decision on calling the sessions rests with the government since the matter is decided by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary affairs (CCPA).
The monsoon session of Parliament had to be adjourned sine die prematurely earlier on account of a number of the MPs testing Covid-19 positive. While the monsoon session was called to meet the norm of the duration between two sessions not exceeding six months, the government currently has no such compulsions. The government appears inclined to call the budget session in the last week of January.
The Speaker also announced that the 80th All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) 2020 will be held during November 25-26 in Kevedia in Vadodara, Gujarat, with President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu gracing the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the gathering.
The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Harmonious Coordination between Legislature, Executive and Judiciary — Key to a Vibrant Democracy’, Birla said. The conference will brainstorm on various issues concerning the functioning of the legislative assemblies, besides deliberating on how ideal coordination among legislature, judiciary and executive can strengthen democracy.
Meanwhile, PM Modi will inaugurate the newly constructed housing accommodations for the MPs on Monday. The multi-storey flats have been constructed, replacing the old bungalows on the B D Marg, which is in the close vicinity of Parliament.
The eight bungalows, constructed 80 years ago, has given space to 76 flats, which have been built with green technology, including the use of flyash bricks. There has been a saving of 14 per cent from the allocated budget for the 76 flats, said a senior official. Amid speculations on convening the winter session of Parliament in the wake of the resurgent Covid-19 pandemic in the national capital, Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said the Lok Sabha Secretariat was ready to hold the session but it was up to the government to take a decision.
The Parliament is making all arrangements to hold the session with safety precautions in place, Birla said, adding that the final decision on calling the sessions rests with the government since the matter is decided by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary affairs (CCPA).
The monsoon session of Parliament had to be adjourned sine die prematurely earlier on account of a number of the MPs testing Covid-19 positive. While the monsoon session was called to meet the norm of the duration between two sessions not exceeding six months, the government currently has no such compulsions. The government appears inclined to call the budget session in the last week of January.
The Speaker also announced that the 80th All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) 2020 will be held during November 25-26 in Kevedia in Vadodara, Gujarat, with President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu gracing the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the gathering.
The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Harmonious Coordination between Legislature, Executive and Judiciary — Key to a Vibrant Democracy’, Birla said. The conference will brainstorm on various issues concerning the functioning of the legislative assemblies, besides deliberating on how ideal coordination among legislature, judiciary and executive can strengthen democracy.
Meanwhile, PM Modi will inaugurate the newly constructed housing accommodations for the MPs on Monday. The multi-storey flats have been constructed, replacing the old bungalows on the B D Marg, which is in the close vicinity of Parliament.
The eight bungalows, constructed 80 years ago, has given space to 76 flats, which have been built with green technology, including the use of flyash bricks. There has been a saving of 14 per cent from the allocated budget for the 76 flats, said a senior official.