Covid-19 tests have been made mandatory for MLAs, bureaucrats and officials of the Jharkhand Assembly for entering the premises during the five-day monsoon session starting from Friday, September 18.
On Monday, Ranchi district administration set up different points for testing at the Assembly premises which will continue till the end of the session. Ranchi’s ADM law and order Akhilesh Sinha said that two testing camps had already been made operational.
“A camp on the left side of Gate 2 will be exclusively for MLAs while another set up on the right will be for officials,” said Sinha, who inspected the secretariat on Sunday to take stock of the preparations.
Jharkhand Assembly secretary Mahendra Prasad said they were taking all precautions and would try to keep the premises Covid free throughout the proceedings.
“It has been decided that all MLAs should get themselves tested at least 72 hours before the session commences. This apart, everyone is mandated to wear masks, gloves, face shields, among other safety gear. These will also be provided at the Assembly premises,” said Prasad, adding that sanitisation of the Assembly premises was also underway.
Prasad explained that if any MLA is unable to attend the session due to Covid-19, he/she can appoint another MLA to raise questions on his behalf in the House. “In such cases, the House must be informed 24 hours in advance along with the question,” he said.
Entry of visitors to the Assembly will be banned. But journalists covering the session would have to undergo a Covid test and must inform the Assembly office 72 hours in advance to be able to attend.
The monsoon session got delayed this year because of the pandemic and was postponed to September. Usually, it is conducted between July and August every year. Since the outbreak of the virus, over a dozen MLAs cutting across party lines have tested positive for Covid-19 so far.
Of them many have recovered. Among those who contracted the virus are three cabinet ministers belonging to the Congress—Banna Gupta (health), Mithilesh Thakur (water resources) and Badal Patralekh (agriculture), and MLAs C.P. Singh (BJP), Mathura Prasad Mahto (JMM), Sudesh Mahto (AJSU-P) and Vinod Singh (CPI-ML).
