Amid ongoing discussions on conducting the monsoon session of Parliament in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, a BJP MP has written to the Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister demanding that the session be conducted online.
There have been several rounds of discussions initiated by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariat at various levels on various options to conduct the parliamentary proceedings following the pandemic.
BJP MP Ajay Mishra 'Teni', who represents the Kheri constituency in Uttar Pradesh, has suggested 40 centres across the country for conducting the session. He told IANS that he has been assured that his suggestion is under review at the government as well as Speaker's level.
"State legislatures can be linked with Parliament House to conduct the monsoon session. This way, the MPs belonging to various states would not have to come to Delhi as they can participate in the parliamentary proceedings while sitting in the state legislature houses," said the BJP MP.
'Teni' also demanded a special two-day session on Covid-19 as a trial run for the online session.
In his letter to the Prime Minister and Speaker Om Birla, he said: "Except five states, the number of Lok Sabha MPs from other states and Union Territories is less than 30. Only BJP and Congress have MPs from more than one state. So, parliamentary proceedings can be run online from at least 40 centres spread across the country," said the MP.
According to him, the Prime Minister, his ministerial colleagues and local MPs can participate in the online session from Parliament House.
On Monday Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla held a meeting on the modalities of conducting the monsoon session of Parliament, where the idea of 'virtual Parliament' was discussed. Other options included conducting the two Houses on alternate days of the week and running the Lok Sabha from the Central Hall.
Last year the monsoon session had begun from June.
