New Delhi, September 13: Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has undergone a COVID-19 test ahead of the monsoon session in Parliament, informed the Vice President's Secretariat on Sunday. The secretariat further informed that it is mandatory for all members of the Upper House to undergo a COVID-19 test before attending the session.

"Preparing himself to preside over the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament beginning on September 14, 2020, Chairman, Rajya Sabha, M Venkaiah Naidu underwent COVID-19 test today. It is mandatory for each member to undergo COVID-19 test (RT-PCR) before attending the upcoming session, according to an advisory issued to all Rajya Sabha members," the Vice President Secretariat said in a statement.

As per the secretariat's statement, the members have been asked to get their test done within 72 hours before the commencement of the session at any hospital/laboratory authorised by the government or at Parliament House Complex.

The secretariat further said that in order to ensure social distancing norms, the Rajya Sabha chamber, galleries, and the Lok Sabha chamber will be used to seat members--57 of whom will be accommodated in the chamber and 51 in galleries of Rajya Sabha. The remaining 136 will be seated in the chamber of Lok Sabha. In all, there are 244 members and one seat is vacant.

"Four large display screens in the chamber will show the members speaking and there will be seamless live telecast of the proceedings on Rajya Sabha TV. In addition, six smaller display screens and audio consoles have been installed in the four galleries," the statement read.

Various Parliamentary papers including List of Business, Bulletins, Bills/ and ordinances would be sent to members only through an electronic mechanism. Members can access their portal accounts. "Accordingly, the circulation of hard copies of these papers is being discontinued. Members may bring their e-Reader devices to the House to refer to the Parliamentary papers or carry print-outs of the same for their use," it added.