Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation in the air-conditioning system, 10 display screens for live proceeding, placards to indicate name of parties, earmarked seats for top leaders and special cables linking Houses — an overhaul in logistics and infrastructure will support the Indian Parliament when it meets for the monsoon session amid Covid.
While ministers, former PMs and floor leaders will get preference in the main chamber, many party MPs — even from the ruling sides — will be adjusted in the galleries, as per a plan prepared by Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu.
To be sure, the 100-year-old building is no stranger to facelift and modifications in its long journey. But the pandemic has prompted the authorities to make unprecedented amendments to a well-established system to ensure safety and adherence to health norms as the average age of MPs in Rajya Sabha is 63.39. The average age of Lok Sabha MPs is 54 but half of them are 56 years or above in age.
As both the House proceedings will spread across the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and their galleries, there will be four large and six small display screens in the chamber and galleries ofthe Upper House, “audio consoles in the galleries, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, special cables connecting the two Houses for transmission of audio-visual signals, polycarbonate sheet separating the Official Gallery from the chamber of the House”, according to an official note, amid a slew of new measures
The first of its kind arrangements, overseen by Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu, also includes a quota of seats for different parties in the chamber and galleries of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, based on their respective strengths. The remaining lawmakers will be seated in the Lok Sabha, divided in two blocks—ruling NDA and other parties. A similar practice will be followed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who will also use the Central Hall to accommodate excess members as the Lok Sabha would need a bigger space.
Naidu has decided that in the Rajya Sabha chamber, seats will be earmarked for the Prime Minister, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition and floor leaders of other parties. “Former Prime Ministers and former Leaders of the House Dr Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda. Ramvilas Paswan and Ramdas Athawale, being ministers and Rajya Sabha MPs — will also have earmarked seats in the chamber of the House. Other ministers will be seated in the seats meant for the ruling party. The seating arrangements will be in strict compliance with the social distancing norms.Special cables are being laid connecting the two Houses of Parliament for transmitting audio-visual signals of the proceedings both ways without any time lag to enable real time participation of members seated in the two Houses,” said an official communique
The Upper House would also see polycarbonate sheets—widely used in government offices now—to separate the officials gallery from the chamber as both are in proximity. A maximum of 15 officials and as many number of journalists would be allowed in the respective galleries. In the Lok Sabha press gallery, 20 journalists would be allowed.
While the RSTV and LSTV will telecast live proceedings through their existing arrangements, Naidu and Birla have instructed the secretariat to minimise the physical handling of various papers