Day-long Punjab Assembly session tomorrow under COVID-19 shadow

Punjab Assembly will meet on Friday for a truncated, one-day session with strict protocols in place due to COVID-19 pandemic.A total of 30 legislators, including four ministers, have tested positive for coronavirus, though a few of m have recovered.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday appealed to all or legislators who had come in contact with COVID positive legislators to avoid attending one-day Vidhan Sabha session on Friday.

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Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh said those MLAs who were primary contacts of ir COVID positive colleagues could t attend session.

“As per health ministry guidelines, primary contact (of COVID positive case) is supposed to remain quarantined,” said Speaker.

Akali MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala and AAP MLA Manjit Singh Bilaspur, both tested positive for COVID-19, were part of ir parties' legislative party meeting respectively.

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With this, MLAs of Akali Dal are unlikely to be allowed to attend session.

SAD leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, however, told reporters that he had written to Speaker to clarify wher y could enter Assembly or t on Friday.

Except two AAP legislators Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Baljinder Kaur who did t attend party's meeting, rest of ir legislators were also unlikely to be allowed to attend session.

Out of 30 MLAs who tested positive, six are from SAD, three from AAP, one rebel AAP legislator and rest are Congress legislators.

Speaker has made coronavirus negative test report mandatory for ministers, MLAs, officers and employees to attend 12th session of 15th Vidhan Sabha.

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It is a constitutional requirement to hold a session within six months of previous Assembly session.

In order to ensure social distancing in House, one member per bench will be allowed to sit, an official of Punjab Vidhan Sabha said.

“Against two members per bench earlier, this time only one member will occupy bench in order to maintain social distancing rms,” official said.

“Some additional benches have also been kept in House to accommodate all members,” official said.

In 117-member House, re are a total 105 benches.

However, with many MLAs getting infected, requirement for additional benches may t arise. Visitors and journalists will t be allowed inside Assembly, official said.

Social distancing rms will also be followed for bureaucrats concerned in officers' gallery. A kit comprising face masks, gloves and hand sanitiser will be provided to each member of House, official said.

Speaker has tified Punjab Bhawan as an extended precinct of House for media cover of session. Live streaming of session would be provided in hall of Punjab Bhawan, though camera or mobile phone will be allowed, official said.

Legislators can hold press conferences in open area of Punjab Bhawan. A COVID-19 test has also been made mandatory for journalists who will cover session.

Meanwhile, several bills and ordinances are likely to be presented during one-day Vidhan Sabha session for enactment.

se are related to regulation of private clinical establishments, temporary release of some prisoners amid pandemic, control of drugs dispensation by private de-addiction centres, industrial disputes and child labour.

'Sri Guru Teg Bahadur State University of Law Bill 2020' for establishment of a law university in Tarn Taran to commemorate 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur is also likely to be tabled in House.

Meanwhile, opposition has slammed state government for truncated session, accusing it of running away from discussing important issues of state. 

(Im Credit: PTI)