For the one-day Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, where nothing much is expected to happen, the attendees are expected to make hectic preparations. Amidst a rising number of Covid-19 cases in State and legislators, including a Cabinet Minister and the Deputy Speaker, down with the contagion, the Vidhan Sabha on Friday made it clear that the Covid-19 negative report will be mandatory for everyone attending the House.
“Latest corona-negative report will be mandatory for all the Ministers, MLAs, officers, and employees to attend the ensuing session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha on August 28,” said the Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh on Friday.
As per the official orders, it is mandatory for everyone, who will be attending the House proceedings on August 28, to have the latest corona negative report, undergone between August 25 and 27.
Punjab Cabinet, in its previous meeting, had decided to convene the Assembly session for just one day on August 28 to fulfill the constitutional obligation that there should not be a gap of more than six months between the two sessions. The previous Assembly session concluded on March 4, 2020, and accordingly, the session is to be called before September 4.
Besides making the COVID-19 negative report must for entry, the Vidhan Sabha has decided to call only 20 percent of its staff for essential duties. Only those officers, who are required in connection with the Bills scheduled to be tabled in the House, will be deployed.
To ensure social distancing between all the members inside the House, one bench would be assigned to each member against the standard seating arrangement where two members occupy a single bench. Moreover, they will be asked to sit diagonally opposite to ensure adequate distance between two members.
During the session, no visitor will be allowed to witness the proceedings.
A Vidhan Sabha official told The Pioneer that the House has a seating capacity with 105 benches, which would be enough for the members attending the session on August 28. It is for the first time that the 117-member House will meet since the COVID outbreak.Listing out the Vidhan Sabha’s safety and precautionary protocols in regard to COVID-19 for a day-long session, the Vidhan Sabha secretary Shashi Lakhanpal Mishra has written to the state Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Health and Family Welfare Department Director, and all Deputy Commissioners to make required arrangements for conducting the corona tests of all the Ministers, legislators, officers, and employees, accordingly.As per the letter, anyone entering the Vidhan Sabha building needs to have a COVID negative report date between August 25 and 27, required to be shown at the time of entry.
For the purpose, the legislators will have the option to get their coronavirus test conducted in their respective districts or at a three-day camp to be held at MLA Hostel in Chandigarh from August 25 to 27. The Vidhan Sabha employees or officials can get their tests done at a special camp to be held at Vidhan Sabha precincts on these three days.
Meanwhile, Punjab Governor on Friday officially summoned the 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for its 12th Session on August 28.
The Cabinet, in its meeting, had noted the constitutional requirement to hold a session within six months of the previous session and decided on a day-long session within two sittings on August 28, to be followed by a regular or longish session later, when the COVID situation improves.
The session has been scheduled to open with obituary references, after which it will adjourn for a while and reconvene for the next sitting, during which legislative business will be conducted.