For two months, parliamentary committees were not given permission to hold virtual meetings
The world's biggest lockdown will finally be scrutinised by a parliamentary committee as air and rail services resumed from major cities. A notice for the meeting on June 3 has been sent. For two months, parliamentary committees were not given permission to hold virtual meetings and their activities have been on hold since the lockdown was announced on March 25.
This will be the first meeting of a parliamentary committee, which acts as a mini parliament. It will closely scrutinise the home ministry, its various notifications and steps taken during the entire lockdown period.
The migrant labour issues are also expected to be reflected.
For two months, despite his written requests, Congress's Anand Sharma -- who is the chairman of the standing committee on home affairs -- did not get any official response from the chairman of the Rajya Sabha to hold these meetings.
Sources indicated that the Union Home ministry led by Amit Shah was not keen on having any legislative scrutiny during the lockdown period. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, which is under Pralhad Joshi, had also refused to allow any virtual meetings, citing rules and procedures.
Officially, the Secretary Generals of both houses met last month to find a way to hold these meetings.
Cutting across party lines, various committee chiefs have wanted meetings to be convened and have argued that 34 countries are holding sessions and meetings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been holding online cabinet meetings, they pointed out.
Twenty-two opposition parties had jointly issued a statement, demanding parliamentary committees be reconvened to allow legislative oversight over various aspects of the lockdown, which, they said, has had a negative impact across all sections of society on social, economic and health fronts.
Anand Sharma said he has written to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to allow members who can't be physically present to join through video conferencing by a secured network. This way, those who face health and quarantine issues, may also be permitted to participate.