All MPs will have to undergo a Covid-19 test before the Budget session commences, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Tuesday.
Birla on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting of top government officials for holding the Budget session amid the pandemic. Covid-19 tests will be held at the parliament premises from January 27 and all arrangements will be made for legislators to follow social distance norms, Birla said.
This comes at a time when four Kerala MLAs tested positive for the virus after attending the current Assembly session. Read more
Addressing a press conference about the start of the parliament session, Om Birla said all necessary coronavirus related protocols, including maintaining social distancing and sanitisation, will be followed during the Budget session which will commence from January 29.
Interacting with reporters after a meeting, the Lok Sabha speaker said, "All MPs will be requested to undergo RT-PCR test to detect Covid-19 before the start of the Budget session. Arrangements for the test will also be made in parliament premises for two days starting from January 27, he said.
Arrangements were also being made so that Covid-19 tests can be conducted near the residences of the parliamentarians, Birla added.
The Lok Sabha speaker said the House will sit in two shifts, morning and evening. The Rajya Sabha will sit in morning from 9 am to 1 pm and the Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 8 pm.
Budget session of parliament will be held in two parts, January 29 to February 15 and then from March 8 to April 8.
(With PTI inputs)
