Trinamool against virtual Parliamentary session; bats for virtual panel meetings

O'Brien also cited the rules that permit the Speaker and the Chairman to take a decision on matters that are not apparent through rules

Trinamool Congress on Wednesday batted for virtual meetings of Parliamentary committees during the Covid-19 pandemic, arguing that a panel has already held deliberations on digital mode in April and there was no reason why it should not be allowed for others.

However, the party was not in favour of holding a virtual session of Parliament.

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The party's position was articulated in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien.

"We do not subscribe to the idea of conducting a Parliament session virtually. We have thoroughly examined the issue and feel that a 100% virtual session of Parliament would be impractical. However, we would humbly urge your good offices to conduct virtual meetings of Parliamentary committees including department related standing committees, consultative committees and select committees," O'Brien wrote.

Demands for holding virtual meetings of Parliamentary panels have been raised by several leaders, including Congress' Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor, BJD's Bhatruhari Mahtab and DMK's Dayanidhi Maran among others.

The Secretariats of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had briefed both Naidu and Birla that the Parliament needs to pass a resolution for holding virtual meetings and questions of maintaining confidentiality have also to be addressed before going the digital way.

Arguing for digital meetings, O'Brien pointed that there is a precedent to hold virtual meetings of committees. He said the Joint Committee on Salary and Allowances summoned "two virtual meetings on 6 April, 2020" and 12 MPs participated in these meetings.

"I am aware that this committee was set up in 1954 Under the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act. If a parliamentary committee set up by a particular law can meet virtually, then all parliamentary committees should be allowed to meet virtually to do legislative work," he wrote.

Seeking to counter the arguments against virtual meetings, he also cited Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of both the Houses.

He pointed to the Rules 267 and 331K on Lok Sabha business, which said the sittings of a committee should be held within the precincts of the Parliament House, and "if it becomes necessary to change the place of sitting outside the Parliament House, the matter shall be referred to the Speaker whose decision shall be final".

"The Standing Committees shall not work in any other place except the precincts of Parliament House, unless otherwise specifically permitted by the Chairperson, Rajya Sabha or the Speaker, as the case may be," O'Brien cited the Rule 331K in his defence.

In Rajya Sabha rules and procedures, O'Brien cited Rules 81 and 87 that dealt with Select Committee meetings, which were similar to the regulations in Lok Sabha rule book.