NEW DELHI, Sept 9:
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday took stock of the special arrangements made for the monsoon session of Parliament from September 14 and conducted a mock session with him in the chair.
During the exercise, the chamber and the four galleries were occupied by the staff of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat according to the new seating arrangement to ensure physical distance.
Staff members were also made to sit and participate from the Lok Sabha Chamber, which becomes a part of the upper house for the entire session. Due to social-distancing norms, members will be seated in the chambers of both the houses and their galleries.
While audio and video signal transmission from one chamber of the house to the other was thoroughly checked, the interpretation signals were also found to be working well.
People who sat in the Lok Sabha Chamber were asked to participate in the discussion and a sample voting process was also conducted by distribution of slips in all the three places.
Chairman Naidu expressed satisfaction over the arrangements, an official release said.
Naidu advised senior officials of the Secretariat to ensure that all guidelines issued by the Ministries of Home and Health & Family Welfare are followed scrupulously.
He also directed the officials to remind members through an advisory about the health protocols to be observed by them before and during the session.
Naidu reiterated the need to get every member of the staff associated with the functioning of the house tested, the process for which has been underway for two days.
The chairman also administered the oath to the newly elected member from Andhra Pradesh, Parimal Nathwani, in his chamber.
The oath/affirmation for the remaining members who could not take oath on July 22 will be administered on the first day of the session, the statement said. (PTI)
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