No Winter Session in Parliament this year due to COVID-19

New Delhi, December 15: In a view of the ongoing coronavirus situation, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that there will not Winter Session of Parliament this time. He also informed that the budget session will be called directly in January.

 

Joshi confirmed this in a letter responding to Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, who has demanded a short Winter Session to discuss new farm law. He added that after discussions with the leaders from several parties, a general opinion was formed that the session should not be called this year.

In the letter Joshi said, Winter months are very crucial for managing the pandemic because of the recent surt in cases during this period particularly in Delhi.

He further added that "At present, we are in the middle of December and, a Covid vaccine is expected very soon. In this regard, I have informally contacted floor leaders of various political parties and, they have expressed their concerns about the ongoing pandemic and opined of doing away with Winter Session. The government is willing to have the next session of Parliament at the earliest".

"It would be appropriate to have the Budget Session, 2021 in January, keeping in mind the unprecedented circumstances created by Covid-19 pandemic (sic)," the letter said, urging Chaudhary, as a "sincere parliamentarian", to cooperate.

Several Congress leaders had demanded a Winter Session, with COVID-19 precautions in place, to hold discussions over crucial matters, including the farmer protests, the economy, and the simmering border tension with China at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

It should be noted that the monsoon session of Parliament was cut short in September after some MPs tested coronavirus positive.