Parliament’s monsoon session: Social distancing to be maintained, says Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said a smooth transaction of the business of Parliament during the Monsoon Session in view of COVID-19 is his priority and all guidelines pertaining to social distancing will be adhered to during the session.

In a series of tweets from the Lok Sabha speaker's Twitter handle, Birla said he chaired a meeting on Thursday to review the preparations for the upcoming session and directed all the agencies concerned to work diligently for sanitisation and other arrangements.

He also shared a video of the meeting with officials from the secretariats of both houses -- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

"Necessary protocols are being prepared for Members and their staff. Guidelines are also being formulated for the Parliament officials. All guidelines pertaining to Social Distancing will be adhered to during Session," the speaker said in one of the tweets.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat, the nodal agency for the Parliament complex, has been making necessary preparations and modifications in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers to ensure social distancing.

Sources said Birla also told the officials to make adequate arrangements for sitting the parliamentarians while maintaining social distancing, sound systems, interpretation services, waiting facilities for the staff of the MPs.

Lok Sabha Secretary General Snehlata Srivastava and Rajya Sabha Secretary General Desh Deepak Verma briefed Birla about the ongoing preparations.

The session is likely to start from September 14 and conclude on October 1.