India Today, November 17, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic is most likely to derail the Winter Session of Parliament this year. The Centre is yet to take a decision on calling the last session of the year that usually commences by the end of third week of November.
The Covid-19 pandemic is most likely to derail the Winter Session of Parliament this year. The Centre is yet to take a decision on calling the last session of the year that usually commences by the end of third week of November.
Since a two-week notice is customarily given for a Parliament session and Delhi is witnessing a steep rise in the number of coronavirus cases, Centre may take the view to not call the Winter Session and directly go for the Budget Session at the end of January.
If the Winter Session is eventually scrapped, it may be one of those rare occasion. The Houses did not have a Winter Session in 1975, 1979 and 1984. Calendar year 2020 will record one of the lowest number of sittings in a year. Interestingly, Parliament is witnessing not just a lesser number of sittings, but also reduced number of sessions in a year.
In 1991, there were 6 sessions of Parliament in one year. There are 7 years which recorded 5 sessions in a year, 4 each for 31 years, and 3 each for 27 years. In 1952, there were 2 sessions of Rajya Sabha which coincidentally was also the first year of the Upper House. Similarly, in 2008, each session was held in 2 parts covering periods corresponding to the budget, monsoon and winter sessions.
If the Winter Session does get called off, the pandemic will have impacted all three sessions of the year. While two sessions have been held with several restrictions and Covid-19 protocols, the third may not be held at all.
In March 2020, the Budget Session was cut short as coronavirus cases rose and the nationwide lockdown was imposed. The Monsoon Session was also called off.
Usually, the Winter Session of Parliament is held for three weeks.
NO TALKS ON WINTER SESSION YET
The cabinet committee on Parliamentary Affairs usually meets to finalise dates to start the session and also look at the duration of the session and a recommendation is then sent to the President to call the session. This time, the committee is yet to meet and sources in the government indicate there is no meet scheduled in near future.
A senior minister of the government said, “A lot will depend on the legislative business of the government and also the pandemic situation. If the Winter Session is not held then the government may go for clubbing it with the Budget Session. It would be the first session of the new year.”
Since the rule says that a session has to be called within 6 months from the end of the last session, the government is not under any pressure and depending on political consensus, a session can be called for in February. However, the Budget Session is crucial as the Union Budget has to be passed before March 31.
One of the most critical reasons for the Winter Session being called off will be the Covid-19 pandemic.
WHAT HAPPENED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
In the Monsoon Session, 40 odd MPs of the two houses had tested positive for coronavirus. Worse even, Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu tested positive right after the truncated session. Three Members of Parliament who had not attended the session Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Gasti, Tirupathi MP B Durga Prasad and Kanyakumari MP H Vasanthakumar died due to post Covid-19 complications.
Monsoon Session that started on September 14 was scheduled to end on October 1 after 18 sittings, but it was cut short by 8 days. It will go down as the most unusual session with sittings of two houses held in different morning and afternoon shifts and members of each House sitting in two chambers and even the galleries. All outside entry was blocked, including the media camera units.
With the presiding officers in chair in their respective house MPs sitting in different chambers, they participated in the proceedings digitally.
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