No meals for MLAs, limit on lawmakers’ entourages for assembly session: Goa Speaker Rajesh Patnekar

Preparing for the one-day monsoon session of the state legislative assembly amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Goa Speaker Rajesh Patnekar on Thursday said that the legislative department had taken several steps including curtailing the practice of serving meals to lawmakers and curtailing MLA entourages to the assembly complex.

Patnekar also said that visitors had also been banned from attending the one-day assembly session scheduled for July 27, in a bid to limit the number of people in the assembly complex.

“We have decided to limit the number of visitors to the assembly for the one-day session. One person per MLA, two per Minister and four persons will be allowed to enter the assembly premises with the CM,” Patnekar told reporters on Thursday, after meeting of the state Legislature department. The Speaker will also be allowed an entourage of four personnel.

“No visitors will be allowed. We have also tried to reduce the expenditure at the same time. Therefore there will be no food served to the MLAs. Some snacks will be served though,” Patnekar said.

A formal SOP issued by the Legislature Department which was issued later on Thursday also said that “social distancing (norms) were to be strictly followed by all at entry points and throughout their stay at the assembly complex on the day of the session”.
“Any breach in the above terms should be brought to the notice of the security personnel present which will result in immediate expulsion from the assembly complex,” the SOPs also state.

The monsoon session of the state legislative assembly has been curtailed to a one-day affair, following a unanimous decision taken during all-party meeting of legislators last week. One ruling BJP MLA has already been hospitalised after he tested positive for Covid-19.