On September 2, 2020, the Lok Sabha Secretariat came up with an official release regarding a new schedule for the much awaited monsoon Parliament session that started on September 14, with Question Hour being dropped. Some major changes have taken place in the new schedule in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. This session, delayed due to the pandemic, has a heavy legislative agenda.
Suggested Changes
Some of the changes that have been suggested are as follows.
- The session will have changed timings to accommodate members of one House in both chambers and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs), including social distancing and sanitisation.
- On the first day, the Lok Sabha will have proceedings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from September 15 to October 1, 2020, it will sit from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- On September 14, 2020 the Rajya Sabha set from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and from the second day, it transacted business between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- The two-hour break between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. would be used to disinfect both the chambers.
- Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will have 18 sittings, including two working Saturdays and Sundays each (no offs or holidays) and will end on October 1.
- Private members business, usually fixed for every Friday, has also been skipped.