COVID-19 notwithstanding, the Kerala Legislative Assembly managed to meet on 61 days in 2021, the highest in the country, Speaker M.B. Rajesh said on Wednesday.
By comparison, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly met on 17 days and the Punjab Assembly, 11 days, Mr. Rajesh said, citing media reports. The Lok Sabha had sittings on less than 60 days, he said.
“A significant decrease is evident in the number of days that Parliament and the State Assemblies convened during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Kerala Assembly and the Assembly committees functioned efficiently during this period,’‘ Mr. Rajesh said.
Kerala was the first state to permit Assembly committees to meet online. This helped them carry out their tasks effectively. The credit goes equally to members of both the ruling front and the Opposition for this achievement, the Speaker said.
The e-Niyamasabha project, which envisions a paperless Assembly, is in its final stages. The report of the ad hoc committee tasked with recommending timely changes to the rules and procedures of the Assembly is also expected to be submitted soon, the Speaker said.
