Covid shadow on Punjab assembly session today

The one-day monsoon session will be a dull affair if most opposition members stay away. As per the list of official business, the proceedings will start with obituary references and followed by legislative business and laying of papers. The chief minister ordered Truenat and RAT machines, to be installed at the Vidhan Sabha premises, as well as Punjab Bhawan and MLAS hostel, for testing and early results ahead of the session, where only those who have tested negative for Covid within 48 hours prior to the start of the session will be allowed.

Congress MP Partap Singh

Bajwa, meanwhile, urged the Congress leaders and the assembly speaker to allow more sittings of the session in view of the Covid protocol, as a truncated session without attendance from the opposition parties would be unfortunate.

“Due to the health protocols in effect, MLAS who were in contact with those who tested positive during various legislature party meetings, must quarantine for five days, and are therefore unable to attend tomorrow’s important session,” he said, adding that state government should also not hold any substantive discussions on these issues without the opposition.