Bills introduced in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha elects dy chairman | Day-1 of Parliament's Monsoon Session

The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on September 14 under the shadow of coronavirus. Rajya Sabha is set to resume at 9 am and Lok Sabha at 3 pm on Tuesday.

The 18-day Monsoon Session of the Parliament kicked off on Monday amid the coronavirus pandemic. With unprecedented measures in place in the wake of pandemic with MPs following social distancing protocol, the Lok Sabha assembled first on Monday morning at 9 am while the Rajya Sabha met at 3 pm.

Ahead of the start of the Monsoon Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with media and hoped that parliamentarians would stand behind soldiers guarding India's borders.

Dr Harsh Vardhan also briefed the Lok Sabha with respect to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the government's handling of the situation. The first nationwide lockdown helped India in preventing approximately 37-38 thousand deahts owing to Covid-19, the Union Health Minister said adding that the same also prevented 14-29 lakh people from getting infected.

The first day of the Monsoon Session saw the Opposition raising issues of India-China standoff, the cancellation of Question Hour and suicides by NEET aspirants among other issues in the Lok Sabha. Similarly, the election for deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha was held in the Upper House of Parliament.

Two-time JD(U) MP Harivansh Narayana Singh was elected to the post of deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

As many as 11 Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha and two, namely The National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2020, and The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2020 were passed. Similarly, four bills replacing Ordinances were introduced by the government in Rajya Sabha.

Here are top developments from Monsoon Session 2020:

1In a first, some Lok Sabha members attended the House proceedings on Monday while seated in the Rajya Sabha chamber . as Parliament met for the Monsoon Session. While Lok Sabha met between 9 am and 1 pm, Rajya Sabha will assemble between 3 pm and 7 pm. When the House met at 9 am, the number of members present was less. But the numbers went up when the House reassembled at around 10.20 am after a one-hour adjournment after paying tributes to former president Pranab Mukherjee, a sitting MP and 13 former members who died in the recent past.

2.Glass-like plastic shieldswearing masks face shield of varied sizes were installed in front of benches to protect members from coronavirus. The shield also covered part of the members' sides. All members were . Some were also seen wearing. As proceedings started, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked members to remain seated while speaking in the House and follow social distancing norms in view of the "extraordinary situation" amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

3. Lok Sabha adopted a motion to do away with Question Hour and private members' businessCongress said that Question Hour is the "golden hour of the House". Criticising the move, the opposition led by the . Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said the Question Hour is recognised as an essence of parliamentary democracy and executives are accountable and answerable during the Question Hour.

"We get chance to raise issues of common people. Question Hour is simply a golden hour of the House," he said, adding by doing way with this, the government is trying to suppress this democratic practice which has been followed since Independence.

4. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said before arriving at this decision, deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to almost all leaders of various parties.

"It's an extraordinary situation. When Assemblies aren't ready to meet for a single day, we -with around 800-850 MPs- are meeting here. There are so many ways to question the govt, govt isn't running away from the discussion. We're ready for discussion," Pralhad Joshi said.

The defence minister said he has discussed the matter with several leaders and noted that this session is being held in an extraordinary situation, "We need support from all" as the House will run only for four hours. If somebody wants to ask a question, they can do during the Zero Hour," he said, adding most of the leaders have agreed on the issue of doing away with the Question Hour. "I would urge all members to extend their support...You can raise issues through unstarred questions, ministers will reply. If members are not satisfied from that reply, then you can seek clarifications during Zero Hour also," Singh said.

5. BJP member Ravi Kishan raised in Lok Sabha the issue of drug menace in Bollywood and asked the government to take strict action against those involved in drug trafficking. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Ravi Kishan said drugs come to the country from China and Pakistan and there is a conspiracy by the neighbouring countries to destroy the youth.

"We know the problem of drug trafficking and drug addiction is increasing. In this conspiracy, our neighbouring countries are involved... Drugs come to this country via China and Pakistan. Our film industry too is affected," he said. Kishan also praised the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for doing a good job in unearthing the drug mafia which is trying to spread the menace among youth.

6. The DMK raised concern over suicide by NEET aspirants in the country. DMK MP TR Baalu raised the issue of NEET examination in Lok Sabha on Monday after his party members staged a protest against the Centre's decision to conduct the examination.

“I'd like to draw the attention of this House and the government to the plight of 12 students who had committed suicide - all from rural background - because of NEET exam. They had passed Plus II through state board and NEET is conducted only in CBSE syllabus," DMK MP TR Baalu said.

7. The government faced stiff opposition in the Lok Sabha over its three farm sector bills. "I want to assure on behalf of the government that MSP was there, is there, and will continue to be there," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the lower house.

Minister Tomar's statement came on the same day as farmers in Punjab blocked several roads, including the Amritsar-Delhi national highway in protest. Demonstrations by farmers were also organised in different parts of the country against the Centre's farm sector bills.

8. MPs from both houses of parliament were tested for Covid-19As a result of the Health Ministry's guidelines, all ahead of the session. The reports of 25 MPs returned positive for the infection.

These include Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria, Meenakashi Lekhi, Sukanata Majumdar, Anant Kumar Hegde, Goddeti Madhavi, Pratap Rao Jadav, Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Bidyut Baran Mahato. Pradan Baruah, N Reddeppa, Selvam G, Pratap Rao Patil, Ram Shankar Katheria, Parvesh Sahib Singh, Satya Pal Singh and Rodmal Nagar have also tested positive for Covid-19.

Other MPs found infected with the virus are Abhay Bharadwaj, Ahmad Ashfaque Karim, Ashok Gasti, Deepender Singh Hooda, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Shanta Chhetri, Sushil Kumar Gupta and V Lakshmikantha Rao.

9. Harivansh Narayana Singh, JD(U) MP from Bihar was elected to the post of deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha after his contender RJD's Manoj Jha withdrew his nomination at the last minute. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Singh along with MPs from across political lines who praised the two-time MP for his impartiality and balanced judgement.

While thanking MPs for their compliments, Harivansh Singh said it is his honour of being a resident of Sitab Diara village in Uttar Pradesh, also the home of reformer Jayaprakash Narain.

10. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to address the Lok Sabha at 3 pm on Tuesday over the India-China military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. This will be the first official statement to be issued by the Government of India in Parliament over the ongoing standoff.