Parliament to adopt 'fully physical model' on restart for Monsoon session; details here

With the Parliament most likely to resume functioning in September for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are expected to adopt a 'fully physical model' with alternate working days and polycarbonate sheets. 

According to reports, presiding officers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha - speaker Om Birla and chairman Venkaiah Naidu have agreed on a complete physical model for the upcoming session of the parliament. The Parliamentarians are most likely to work on alternate days or either as morning or evening shifts, with plans in place to ensure social distancing between the MPs.

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Out of the 542 members in the Lok Sabha, 168 members will be seated in the chamber of the Lower House while the other members will be seated across the galleries, the Upper House, and its galleries. Similarly, Rajya Sabha's 241 members will also be seated with due diligence to social distancing. 76 members can be accommodated in the chamber of the Upper House. 

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Polycarbonate sheets will divide each row in both houses although it is unlikely to be used in the Upper House, given the low strength. However, the front rows in the Rajya Sabha are expected to be avoided by the elderly members of the house. Microphones will be placed for each member on their seat while large screens will also be erected in all galleries & other chambers to help the MPs follow the proceedings of the House. 

According to reports, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu had suggested that the MPs could use the 500-odd NIC centers in districts across the country to attend the session from their constituencies. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, however, preferred to have a 'fully physical model' in place, according to reports. The last sitting of the Parliament before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the doors shut was held on March 23. 

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India's COVID-19 tally

There were 61,537 more novel coronavirus cases in India, taking the tally to 20,88,611 on Saturday, while the death toll rose to 42,518 with 933 more fatalities, the Health Ministry said. The number of recoveries surged to 14,27,005 and the recovery rate rose to 68.32 percent, according to ministry data. There are 6,19,088 active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), comprising 29.64 percent of the caseload. A total of 61,537 cases were added in a day, taking the tally to 20,88,611, it said. This was the 10th day in a row that the COVID-19 tally increased by more than 50,000. As many as 5,98,778 samples were tested on Friday, taking the total to 2,33,87,171 so far, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.

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