Parliament was adjourned sine die in March days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the countrywide lockdown. The monsoon session of parliament will begin on September 14 under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, the government said today. It would continue till October 1 “subject to exigencies of business”, and will be held with strict observance of safety norms.
Around 11 ordinances that have been passed over the last five months and need clearance are on the agenda, sources said. The list is topped by the “One Nation One Market” ordinance for farmers, sources said, to which the Congress has some objections.
Besides, there will the ordinances on salaries and allowances of MPs, the epidemic disease ordinance regarding safeguarding health workers and doctors, the essential commodities ordinance deregulating the prices of pulses and edible oils and the ordinance on insolvency and bankruptcy code. Besides, there will be the one on taxation laws.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a new platform “Transparent Taxation – Honouring the Honest” which carries forward the journey of direct tax reforms in India, such as “faceless appeals” where taxpayers don’t have to visit offices to rectify errors.
The decision to adjourn came amid vociferous protests by opposition leaders who questioned why the house, where large gatherings took place every day, was being continued despite the government’s concerns about the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. It was pointed out that a chunk of MPs were among the vulnerable population.
Hectic preparations are on for the session, with several first-time measures in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The list includes testing of all MPs, staggered sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and use of both chambers and galleries to accommodate members while following physical distancing norms, officials said
