Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have asked the general secretaries of both houses to consider the possibility of holding meetings of parliamentary committees through video conferencing. Both general secretaries have been asked to submit a report in this regard soon. In view of the epidemic of corona infection, many members demanded that the parliamentary committees be held through video conferencing.
Naidu and Birla met on Thursday at the Vice President's residence. They discussed the role played by MPs during the epidemic of Corona infection and in the context of meetings of parliamentary committees. According to the statement issued by the office of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, 'Naidu and Birla have directed the General Secretaries of both the Houses to consider the merits and demerits of holding the committees through video conferencing keeping in mind the rules of parliamentary functioning. In view of the prevailing conditions, technology is also being resorted to in some countries. The statement said that further decisions will be taken based on the report of both senior officials.
On Thursday, Congress leader and head of the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology, Shashi Tharoor has once again asked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to allow the meeting of the committee through video conferencing. The Congress leader has given the example of Britain.
The senior Congress leader said that the cases of covid-19 have increased rapidly in the last few days, raising serious questions about the health of not only the health workers but also the common people. Tharoor said that MPs have a responsibility to the country to discharge their duties to their full potential. He cited the Parliament of Britain asking that his committee be allowed to hold a meeting through video conferencing.
