New Delhi: The Budget Session of the Parliament will begin Friday amid strict protocols being maintained for the spread of COVID-19. Even though the Union Budget will be presented February 1, there will be plenty of fireworks in the upcoming session. The Budget session will take place during the ongoing farmers’ protest and the violence which has scarred the national capital. Hence the Budget Session which will continue till the first week of April is expected to be stormy. Eighteen opposition parties have already said that they will boycott President Ram nath Kovind’s address to both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The opposition will also try to corner the government over the contentious farm laws amid the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Vice-President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu has taken the COVID-19 test with other members. More than 1,200 officials and staff of the Rajya Sabha secretariat have also undergone the COVID-19 test. So far no one has tested positive.
This will be the first meeting of the Parliament since the Monsoon Session was cut short due to concerns over COVID-19. The Winter Session was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike the Monsoon Session, the Parliament will not function on weekends this time. The Question Hour, which was scrapped in the Monsoon Session due to time constraint, has been restored.
The Monsoon Session, which started after nearly five months of indefinite adjournment, was concluded eight days ahead of time in September.
In the mandatory COVID-19 tests for parliamentarians before the Monsoon Session started, 17 members of the Lok Sabha and eight from the Rajya Sabha had tested positive. Over the 10-day session, several others, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had tested positive. Thankfully all have recovered.
With the spread of COVID-19 decreasing considerably, it is expected that this time around the Budget Session of the Parliament will be hassle free.