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Reflecting on two years of COVID-19 in the India Parliament
SPECIAL REPORT: PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY IN THE TIMES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: EXPERIENCES IN THE PARLIAMENT OF INDIA
The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have no parallel in the history of mankind. It is more than two years that the world is grappling with the multiple crises the pandemic has caused with almost no respite. With the looming threat of a reversal of the decades-old developmental efforts in all spheres of human endeavours, it needs all our focus for a resolute global response in tackling the pandemic. The key for this is solidarity and effective collaboration within the comity of nations. India has always been at the forefront in the call for joint global action for any crisis in the world. Even during the ongoing pandemic, India immediately offered support in the form of vaccines, medical equipment and medicines to the affected countries. India’s call for ‘One Earth One Health’ approach underlines our continuing commitment to bring succour in these trying times for the greater cause of humanity. We have all witnessed that the pandemic has also brought challenges to the functioning of our democratic institutions, including our Parliaments. This crisis, taken as an opportunity, has brought various Parliaments together in close co-operation to address the challenges and devise appropriate strategies. During this turbulent time, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has commendably brought out the ‘COVID-19 Delivering Parliamentary Democracy: CPA Toolkit for Commonwealth Parliament’. The IPU also conducted a study on ‘Parliaments in a time of Pandemic’ and offers practical information and parliamentary responses to the global pandemic. These initiatives have been extremely useful and appreciated all over the world.
Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in India: Major initiatives of the Government of India
In India, the first case of COVID-19 infection was reported on 30 January 2020. Soon afterwards, the Government of India took preventive measures starting with progressive tightening of international travel, the issuing of advisories, quarantine facilities, contact tracing, social distancing, etc. After the countrywide ‘Janata Curfew’ on 22 March 2020, the Prime Minister of India announced a nationwide lockdown on 24 March for 21 days. The lockdowns were periodically extended till 31 May 2020 and thereafter, restrictions were lifted in phases, until the later part of the year.
The Government of India announced a relief package to the tune of Rs.1700 billion for the poor. The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated on 31 March 2020 to provide an extension of time limits and waivers of penalties. Steps like relief to borrowers in repayment of loans and short-term credit to Indian States were also taken by the Reserve Bank of India. The Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) was instituted. The Government decided to put the ‘Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme’ on hold for two years, from 2020-21 to 2021-22. On 12 May 2020, the Prime Minister announced a massive economic package, amounting to Rs.20,000 billion - about 10% of India’s GDP. He gave a clarion call for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat or Self-Reliant India Movement outlining five pillars – economy, infrastructure, system, vibrant demography and demand. The total stimulus by the Government and Reserve Bank of India till November 2020 to tide over the COVID-19 pandemic was Rs.29,870 billion. In the fight against COVID-19, ICT tools were widely used, including the Aarogya Setu App for contact tracing; Geofencing technology for enforcing strict vigilance on COVID-19 suspects in quarantine; MyGov Portal and National Health Portal of India for providing updates and authentic information. Later, during the second COVID-19 wave, the Government adopted a five-point strategy - test, trace, treat, public compliance and vaccinate. The first three elements were already in place; and India then entered into the decisive ‘Vaccination Phase’. On 16 January 2021, the Prime Minister launched the world’s largest vaccination campaign; with two Made-in-India vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin. Up to 21 February 2022, the vaccination coverage in India had crossed 1.75 billion vaccines. India has also used its vaccine production and delivery capacity to help humanity. From January to November 2021, India supplied over 72 million doses of COVID- 19 vaccines to 94 countries and 2 UN entities in the form of grants, commercial exports or through COVAX (COVAX is co-led by CEPI, Gavi and WHO, alongside key delivery partner UNICEF to deliver global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines).
Above: The Parliament of India.
Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic: Initiatives in the Parliament of India
The Parliament of India actively supported the Government of India's efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Parliament’s capacity to continue functioning during the pandemic testifies the strength and durability of our democratic system. Taking early preventive measures, on 17 March 2020, I convened a meeting of senior officials of various agencies to review the situation on the ground and measures were taken in the Parliament House Estate and the surrounding areas.
The Budget Session of Parliament was concluded on 23 March 2020, nearly two weeks ahead of the scheduled time after a consensus across party lines. On 21 April 2020, I held a video conference with the Presiding Officers of the State/UT Legislatures to discuss, among others, the COVID-19 pandemic situation. It was incidentally the first such conference in the history of our Parliament. Consequently, a COVID-19 Control Rooms Grid was set up in the Lok Sabha Secretariat as well as in 23 State Legislatures to coordinate efforts of Parliamentarians/Legislators for the relief and rehabilitation of affected people. Similarly, a year later on 19 April 2021, at the peak of the second COVID-19 wave, a virtual meeting of the All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC) and other Leaders was held on the ‘Prevailing COVID-19 Situation - Role and Responsibility of Public Representatives’. In the Conference, emphasising on the vaccination programme, I urged Presiding Officers to share their best practices with each other so that a standard procedure could be developed. We followed up on 22 June 2021, where we discussed the working of State Legislatures, including the legislative response to tackle the menace of COVID-19.
To complement the efforts of the Government, some important initiatives were taken by the Parliament of India. An Amendment was made to the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 which provided for a 30% reduction in the salary of Members of Parliament for a period of one year. Also, a 30% reduction was made to the sumptuary allowance paid to Ministers for a year from 1 April 2020. Officers and staff of the Lok Sabha Secretariat also contributed one day's salary amounting to approximately Rs.4.5 million to the PM CARES Fund. The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 was amended to include the protection of healthcare personnel combating epidemic diseases. The Information and Communication Centre (ICC) set up on 14 November 2019 came as a great help. During the lockdown in 2020, more than 15,000 calls were made to the Members conveying important information.
Holding sessions of Parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic: Adopting necessary measures and new procedures
Adequate arrangements were made to ensure that the Monsoon Session of 2020 was held in a smooth manner complying with all the COVID- 19 health and safety guidelines. Consultations were held with the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Secretariat, medical experts and other agencies in this regard.
On the eve of the Fourth Session, held from 14 to 23 September 2020, elaborate safety measures were taken by adopting the appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). To ensure social distancing, seats were allotted to Alliances/Parties in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Chambers/Galleries and Members sat only in marked seats. Arrangements were made for the two Houses to run in two separate shifts. Audio and video systems between the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Chambers and their Galleries were integrated and synchronised along with an interpretation facility. LED screens were also placed in the Rajya Sabha Chamber and the Galleries of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Polycarbonate sheets were installed between rows and seats in the Lok Sabha Chamber to create a physical barrier between the seats. Sensor-based sanitizer dispensing machines and water dispensers along with disposable paper glasses were provided at appropriate places.
Arrangements were made for Members to undergo COVID-19 test (RT-PCR Test) before attending the Parliamentary session and also for all of the Officers and staff of the Lok Sabha Secretariat and allied agencies. An Orientation/awareness programme on COVID-19 was held on 13 and 14 September 2020. Later, vaccines were provided to Members of Parliament and the Officers and staff of the Secretariat in accordance with the prioritisation as guided by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC). During the Parliamentary sessions, a number of statements were made by the Minister of Health and Family Welfare about the COVID- 19 situation in the country. Two discussions under Rule 193 were held on the COVID-19 situation in the country - on 20 September 2020 and on 2 December 2021. On 5 February 2021, on behalf of the House, I congratulated the scientists and doctors for their sincere efforts in making the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine. Besides the elaborate arrangements, it was largely due to the support and cooperation of the Members of Parliament that the sessions of the House, as well as the meetings of the Parliamentary Committees, could be carried out seamlessly during the COVID-19 times with high productivity.
Procedural innovations
Rules 2 and 384 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha had to be relaxed during the Fourth Session. Both Houses decided to do away with the Starred Questions and Private Members’ Business and have only an abbreviated Zero Hour. All these developments made the sessions of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha a distinctive one.
Harnessing digital technology
The COVID-19 pandemic has hastened the extensive use of digital technology in the Parliament of India. We have taken measures like the online issuing of summons through the Member's Portal, a new responsive Members' Portal compliant for viewing across various electronic devices, etc. In addition, all of the parliamentary papers for a particular day’s session were also made accessible electronically through the ‘Today's Papers’ Tab on the Members’ Portal. A Mobile Attendance Application ‘Attendance Register’ was developed for marking the attendance of Members of Parliament during the Fourth Session.
Through the use of ICT, we could hold, as well as attend, many Parliamentary meetings in virtual mode including the Fifth World Conference of the Speakers of Parliament in August 2020; the Sixth BRICS Parliamentary Forum in October 2020; the 206th Session of the Governing Council of the IPU in November 2020; the 81st All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) in September 2021 and the World COVID-19 and Critical Care Conference on 9 October 2021, among others. From May 2020 to May 2021, about two dozen Parliamentary delegations participated virtually in high-level interparliamentary events. In addition, various online programmes were also held for the benefit of Members of Parliament under the aegis of the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) during the COVID-19 times.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare all our vulnerabilities even when we are purportedly at the pinnacle of development in cutting edge scientific and other disciplines. It is a clarion call for all stakeholders, including Parliaments and Parliamentarians, that we need to come together to ensure a just and equitable order and to evolve a development model which is sustainable. If this advice is heeded to, the pandemic could be turned into an opportunity. India has always believed in values of integration and unity, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which means the entire world is one family and is committed to extend support towards every effort made to mitigate the effects of this pandemic towards humanity and for charting out the way forward.
Hon. Shri Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 17 th Lok Sabha in the Parliament of India on 19 June 2019. He is the President of the CPA India Union Branch and the Regional Chairperson of the CPA India Region. He has been a Member of Parliament for Kota-Bundi parliamentary constituency since 2014. He was previously a Member of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha (Provincial Assembly) from 2003 to 2014. Prior to entering Parliament, he held positions with the youth wing of his party, Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha, and he completed his Master of Commerce at Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University.
