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Union budget set to be presented on February 1, Budget Session of Parliament to commence on Jan 29

As per the CCPA recommendation, President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to address the customary joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on January 29.

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Budget session of Indian Parliament will be held from January 29.
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The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) on Tuesday (Janauary 5) recommended that the Budget Session of Parliament be held from January 29. The CCPA has recommended that the first part of Budget Session be held from January 29 to February 15, while the second part can be held from March 8 to April 8.

As per the CCPA recommendation according to sources, President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to address the customary joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on January 29, while the Union Budget 2021-22 will be presented on February 1. The CCPA has stated that all COVID-19-related protocols will have to be followed during the Parliament session. A final decision on the matter – the start of Budget Session - will be taken by the Union Cabinet. It may be recalled that there was a controversy after the government announced late last year that Winter Session had been cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Opposition had accused the government of running away from a discussion on the ongoing farmers protest as well as the coronavirus pandemic. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had said that he had informally contacted floor leaders of various political parties and "they have expressed their concerns about the ongoing pandemic and opined of doing away with winter session".

"Government is willing to have the next session of Parliament at the earliest; it would be appropriate to have the Budget Session, 2021 in January, 2021 keeping in mind the unprecedented circumstances created by the Covid-19 pandemic," Joshi had said.

For the first time ever, the Members of Parliament are likely to be seated in three different places — the Rajya Sabha chamber, the Lok Sabha chamber and the central hall — for President Ram Nath Kovind’s address at the beginning of the session. So far there is no clarity on whether the Question Hour which was suspended during the monsoon session as part of the COVID-19 restrictions will resume in the budget session. The Opposition parties had severely criticised the government for suspending the Question Hour.

The Rajya Sabha chamber can accomodate 60 members, while the Lok Sabha chamber can seat 132. The remaining members will be accommodated in the visitors’ gallery of both the Houses. The Opposition members had expressed inability to successfully participate in the debates, especially from the other chamber. Many members flagged this during the passing of the three controversial farm laws in the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition members sitting in the Lok sabha could participate in the protest or even press for voting on the Bills.

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