As Covid-19 cases spike, Madhya Pradesh Assembly session to be curtailed

The duration of the next week's

Madhya Pradesh Assembly session has been reduced to one day from three days as decided earlier due to rise in the COVID-19 cases, an official said on Tuesday.

The proceedings will be conducted in the presence of the minimum number of MLAs required for the quorum, he said.

Pro-tem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma said 40 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus so far while the number of new cases in the state is rising.

These decisions were taken at an all-party meeting held here, said the official of the MP State Assembly Secretariat.

As per the initial schedule, the session was supposed to be held between September 21 and 23.

"It was decided in the all-party meeting that all the necessary financial and legislative business would be conducted in the House on September 21 in the limited presence of members," the official said.

On the same day, the Assembly would pay tribute to departed dignitaries and transact other business, he said.

The written answers of questions received by MLAs for all three days will be provided to them, the official said.

The pro-tem speaker said proceedings will be conducted as per the decisions taken in the all-party meeting.

He said arrangements were being made to enable MLAs from remote areas to attend proceedings online.

Meanwhile, the official said the state health department would conduct rapid antigen test of all MLAs and staff of the Assembly on its premises.

The effective strength of the 230-member House has been reduced to 202 now due to deaths of three MLAs and resignation by 25 others earlier.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, his predecessor Kamal Nath, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra and senior officials attended the all-party meeting.

Madhya Pradesh's COVID-19 case tally stood at 90,730 as on September 14 with 1,791 fatalities, as per the state government.