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Parliament to resume usual functioning at 11 am from March 9MPs will sit in Rajya Sabha chambers and galleries observing social distancing norms
Shemin Joy
DHNS
Last Updated IST
Security personnel patrol the premises of Parliament House complex. Credit: PTI File Photo
Security personnel patrol the premises of Parliament House complex. Credit: PTI File Photo

The announcement was first made in Rajya Sabha by Vice Chairperson Vandana Chavan, who said Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has taken a decision that the Upper House will function from 11 AM to 6 PM from Tuesday onwards.

Later, Lok Speaker Om Birla also made a similar announcement in the Lower House.

MPs will sit in their respective chambers and its galleries by observing social distancing norms. At present, MPs of the House in Session are sitting in chambers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and visitors' galleries.

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Usually, Parliament functions between 11 am and 6 pm though on several occasions, it has sat beyond the scheduled time.

During the Monsoon Session, Rajya Sabha functioned from 9 am to 1 pm and in the Budget Session, it was between 9 am and 2 pm. Lok Sabha proceedings started at 3 pm during the Monsoon Session while it was at 4 pm during the Budget Session.

Sources told DH that the plan comes against a backdrop of demand from a section to curtail the second leg of the Budget Session during which elections to five Assemblies are taking place.

Trinamool Congress floor leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien have already written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Naidu demanding the adjournment of the Session, saying that its MPs could not attend the proceedings due to campaigning in West Bengal.

Sources said the plan is to finish budget-related discussions and other business at the earliest. This is why the scheduled time has been increased by one hour, they said.

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(Published 08 March 2021, 14:25 IST)