Over 50 people, including 25 MPs test positive for COVID-19 on first day of Parliament’s monsoon session

• The development came on the day when Parliament began its monsoon session to discuss 20 bills and 11 ordinances.
• The test results came as the government asked every Member of Parliament to bring a negative report while entering the Parliament.
• Check out latest news and updates on Business Insider India.

Fifty-six people including staff members and members of the Indian Parliament have tested positive for COVID-19 infection, NDTV reported. The development came on the day when Parliament began its 18-day long monsoon session to discuss 20 bills and 11 ordinances.

So far, 25 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs have test positive.

According to the report, 12 of the total infected MPs are from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whereas 2 from Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YRS) and one each from Shiv Sena, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party RLP. Among those infected are Anant Hegde, Parvesh Verma, and Meenakshi Lekhi.

The test results came as the government asked every Member of Parliament to bring a negative report while entering the Parliament. India is the second-worst affected country with COVID-19 and has over 48 lakh cases.

In a bid to hold the Parliament session amid COVID-19, the government decided to do away with the Question Hour and all-party meeting before the session. Moreover, MPs were asked to strictly follow social distancing rules. The two houses together have more than 780 members at present.

The government said the sessions are being organised with all the necessary health precautions to contain the spread of the diseases.

Rajya Sabha began the monsoon session in the morning shift from 9 am till 1 pm, and the Lok Sabha session will happen in the evening shift from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Several Members of the Parliament arrived wearing mask including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. According to reports, Members were asked to sit in a staggered manner during the session. Their attendance was marked through the “Attendance Register” App.


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