All safety protocols maintained for running parliamentary proceedings: Speaker Sapkota

Kathmandu - Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has shared that all criteria required for running parliamentary proceedings keeping into consideration the COVID-19 risks have been fulfilled. Sapkota said, “It is inevitable to conduct federal parliamentary meetings in this difficult situation. All necessary criteria needed to run parliamentary deliberations have been fulfilled by warding off potential risks of the virus.” Talking to media persons today, he further said preparation has been made to run legislative affairs in coordination with the specialists of health sectors by meeting the criteria stipulated by the World Health Organisation.

All the lawmakers and concerned employees of the parliament have undergone tests for coronavirus. As per the constitutional provision, the federal budget should be brought on May 28 and now budget session has to be called in order to hold pre-budget discussion and other deliberations, said the Speaker. Arrangement of seats has been made in a way to maintain physical distance with each other. Similarly, throat swabs from 441 individuals including lawmakers of both the parliamentary houses and employees were collected on Thursday.

The sixth session of parliament was scheduled to take place from today (Friday). There are 275 lawmakers in the House of Representatives and 58 in the National Assembly. Corianvirus testing of remaining lawmakers, security personnel and employees would be carried out today. Preparation was underway to allow the lawmakers and other employees to enter into the parliamentary meeting hall only by showing the corona-free certificate.

The test reports would be received by 3:00 pm today. Speaker Sapkota said the parliament meeting would begin at 4:00 pm today. The pre-budget discussion would be held from May 10-12, government’s policy and programme would be presented on May 15, economic survey report would be unveiled on May 26 and the executive budget would be presented on May 28, he informed. President Bidya Devi Bhandari, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister on May 3, had summoned the sixth session of the Federal Parliament for Friday.