New Delhi: The government is aiming to hold a joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the new Parliament House during the upcoming budget session, in which President Draupadi Murmu will address both the houses together for the first time. Sources said there is a possibility that both the Houses will function from the existing Parliament House for legislative business after the joint sitting.
Sources said the work on the new Lok Sabha chamber is almost complete. He said that the Lok Sabha in the new building would be used for joint sitting.
According to the notification issued by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats, the President will address the joint sitting of the two houses on January 31.
TOI has learned that a circular may be issued soon for a joint sitting in the new Parliament House.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has started preparing new ‘smart’ identity cards for MPs for use in the new Parliament House. These cards will be embedded with highly secure security features. The new building will also have smart cameras with face recognition feature and an IT system at entry points to ensure seamless entry of ministers and MPs from a distance of 3-4 meters – gates will open automatically for them.
Officials said that it would take more time to complete all the works including audio visual system and other drills and hence it would not be possible to hold the entire budget session in the new building. Last week, sources in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had said that the civil work of the new Parliament building is almost complete and they will complete all the remaining works by the end of this month. He had also said that the second part of the budget session is likely to be held in the new building.
