Parliament Budget session likely to be cut short as over 100 Opposition MPs demand

The Budget Session of Parliament is likely to be curtailed and may conclude before the first phase of elections on March 27, while the two Houses will resume their normal timing of 11 am onwards from Tuesday, sources said.

Several parties had requested that the session, which was originally scheduled to continue till April 8, be curtailed due to the assembly elections in four states and one union territory being held between March 27 and April 29.

Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu announced the new timings for the Upper House this morning on the first day of the second part of the Budget Session. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a similar announcement later in the day.

Birla said Lok Sabha members would also sit in galleries, apparently to maintain distancing norms. Birla made the announcement when the House met at 5 pm after an hour-long adjournment after paying tributes to two sitting and seven former members who died recently.

A final decision on



curtailment of the session would also be taken by Birla who met floor leaders of various parties on the matter earlier in the day.

Keeping in mind the distancing norms due to the Covid-19 pandemic, both Houses were meeting in two shifts since the Monson Session, with Rajya Sabha meeting in the first half of the day and Lok Sabha in the second half.

There was no Winter Session of Parliament due to the pandemic.

Some Rajya Sabha members were sitting in Lok Sabha chambers to adhere to distancing norms. Similar was the case with Lok Sabha members. Some Lok Sabha members were also seated in the visitors' gallery above the House chamber.

The move to return to normal timings was taken a day before the Covid-19 vaccination drive for members of Parliament begins on Tuesday.

Floor leaders of various political parties on Monday urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to curtail the Budget Session to allow them to focus on the assembly polls in four states and one union territory.