Coronavirus Tests Must For All In Assembly During Session

Telangana Assembly Affairs Minister Vemula Prashant Reddy today said that coronavirus tests were being made mandatory for all MLAs, media, officials and staff in the Assembly and the Council from Saturday, two days ahead of September 7 on which the sessions would begin, in strict conformance with the guidelines given by Parliament.

Speaking with media on Friday after a visit to the Assembly to review the seating arrangements for the session, the minister said that a coronavirus centre had been started in the Assembly premises on Friday at 3 pm, and that tests would be conducted from Saturday for all ministers, MLAs, media and staff.

The MLAs would need to show reports that they did not have the coronavirus, or get tested before attending the Assembly or Council proceedings, he said.

The Media Point would not be operational this time as presspersons would be denied entry into lobbies and the ministers' chambers, he added. The media would be allowed only into the gallery to cover the Assembly and Council proceedings, he said.

The minister said that the monsoon session of the Assembly and Council would in general be conducted as per the coronavirus protocols issued by Parliament.

"We are focusing on making the seating arrangements in conformance with the coronavirus protocols like a 6-feet distance between any two members, and ensuring the wearing of masks, the regular sanitising of hands and the maintaining of physical distance," he said.

40 more seats had been added in the Assembly hall and eight more in the Council hall for the proceedings, he said.