LARRDIS/2021 LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT PARLIAMENT LIBRARY AND REFERENCE , RESEARCH, DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION SERVICE (LARRDIS) NEW DELHI 33- PRIS (E&SA)/2021 APRIL 2021 The 142nd Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (Virtual Session) 24 to 28 May 2021 A BRIEF on “The Role and Organisation of Parliaments in a Time of Pandemic” [The brief is largely based on published/web sources and is intended to serve only as a background aid. It is for restricted circulation and not for publication in any form] LARRDIS/2021 Introduction The outbreak of the novel Corona virus (Covid- 19), which has become a global pandemic, has profoundly transformed the manner human beings and organizations conduct their daily business. Parliaments across the globe have not been spared from the disruptive effects of Covid -19. It has posed unprecedented challenges to the functioning of democratic institutions, including the legislature. However, since Parliament is a creature of the Constitution, its mandate and functions cannot be willy-nilly ‘locked- down’. Parliaments cannot afford to suspend their cardinal function of law-making, oversight and representation indefinitely or for inordinately long periods. Doing so will not only be a dereliction of duty but a breach of their constitutional mandate. Therefore, Parliaments need to develop and implement innovative ways of conducting their constitutional functions. The Covid-19 pandemic has marked a global watershed, not only in health and economic terms, but also for the unprecedented challenges posed to the functioning of Legislatures across the world. One of the greatest lessons learnt from the emergence of Covid-19 is that we must adapt our rules to ensure that institutions can function in any situation, however critical. Accordingly, the parliamentary institutions across the world have explored innovative strategies and evolved mechanisms to keep the democratic processes and political debates alive. Parliaments in many countries, including India, continued to operate throughout the pandemic, and continued to perform their lawmaking and oversight roles. They have proven their resilience as well as their ability to adapt. This was largely achieved by: Establishing and embedding efficient digital workspaces; The proactive acknowledgment of the importance of IT as a core element for organisational operation, and; Investing appropriately in establishing and managing an agile future-focused IT strategy; ensuring the availability of essential IT equipment and resources, and; embedding and enforcing a technology culture within their organisations. Besides the Parliaments have also adhered to the LARRDIS/2021 Standard Operating Procedures of their respective parliaments and measures issued by the WHO and other International organizations. National Parliaments during Covid 19 Pandemic The global crisis during pandemic brought national parliaments in close co-ordination to promote democratic, effective and coherent public policy responses and to address citizens’ concerns. Parliaments play an essential role as guardians of democratic values, processes and fundamental freedoms, as well as help enhance public confidence. It is therefore important that they continue to function throughout this crisis, passing unprecedented economic aid packages and emergency public health measures, while attempting to ensure democratic controls and securing effective checks and balances where possible. During the period of pandemic various international conferences are being organised by International Organisations and the delegates from member Parliaments are very positively responding in virtual mode. Parliamentary institutions across the world quickly adapted to the changed circumstances and continue to meet on set dates. Many parliaments switched to virtual or hybrid sessions. In Canada the MPs joined virtual parliament over a Zoom call, and MPs were permitted to ask questions to the government. The Bureau of European Parliament has also temporarily changed to its rules of procedure to permit virtual deliberations and voting by MPs and committee members. In Chile, the constitution was amended to permit the senate to hold sessions in a mixed-system of face-to-face and virtual participation, allowing for remote voting as well. The Brazilian Parliament also resorted to work remotely using video-conferencing and virtual management tools. Spain, one of the worst affected countries by the pandemic, also ensured that legislative work does not stop, as despite a complete lockdown, MPs continued to deliberate and vote on legislative proposals. Maldives parliament or People’s LARRDIS/2021 Majlis is using Microsoft Teams video conferencing technology to hold virtual parliament sessions. Parliament of India and Covid 19 Pandemic The Parliament of India is the core institution of representative democracy and thus its capacity to continue functioning during this pandemic testifies the strength and durability of our democratic system. It representing the aspirations of 1.35 billion people, has been playing a proactive role in ensuring engagement with them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Parliament of India maintained a 24x7 connect between the Parliamentarians and the general public to ensure that the needy and the underprivileged are provided necessary relief and assistance without delay. On the initiative of the Lok Sabha Speaker, a Control Room was set- up in the Lok Sabha Secretariat with immediate effect with a view to facilitate a quicker interface between the Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and the public for emergency assistance in the fight against COVID-19. On 21 April 2020, during the inter-Session period, the Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, held a video conference with the Presiding Officers of the State/UT Legislatures to discuss various matters relating to the activities of the CPA India Region and the COVID-19 pandemic. This video conference was held for the first time in the history of the Parliament of India. The Hon'ble Speaker urged the State Assemblies to explore the feasibility of the extensive use of digital technology in carrying out the legislative and financial work and other routine tasks. During the interaction, the Speaker had also called upon all the state legislatures to set up control rooms for real time information exchange between the various state legislatures and Parliament, which would allow MPs/MLAs/MLCs to discharge their LARRDIS/2021 duties in a more effective manner in order to fight the challenge posed by COVID 19. On 19 April 2021 Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman, All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC) Shri Om Birla had a Virtual Meeting of Presiding Officers of the Legislative Bodies in India and other Leaders on “Prevailing COVID-19 Situation - Role and Responsibility of Public Representatives”. Apart from the Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, Chief Whips and Leaders of Opposition in State Legislatures also joined the Virtual Meeting. During the meeting Hon'ble Speaker emphasizing on the crisis of COVID-19 said that the governments are making all necessary efforts at their level to control the covid 19 crisis. But in this hour of crisis, the legislature also has to fulfill its duty more promptly. He exhorted the people's representatives to fulfill their duties in the spirit of solidarity and collectivity and contribute to the society and the country in getting relief from the pandemic. He also urged the Presiding Officers to sensitize the public, through the people’s representatives of their respective States, to follow the Corona Protocol. He asked the public representatives to create awareness that personal caution is the most potent weapon in the fight against corona infection and any negligence can prove to be extremely dangerous. Hon'ble Speaker also gave the following suggestions: (i) People’s representatives may engage with social organizations to check the spread of the pandemic; (ii) All representative institutions including the Gram Panchayats and local bodies in urban areas may be motivated to make extensive efforts to reduce the corona infection; (iii). Presiding officers may set up control rooms in their legislatures. which may be used by the people's representatives. This will help in channelizing the relevant information and difficulties of the public to the government; and (iv) If there is any issue related to the Central Government, it may be forwarded to the Lok Sabha Control Room. With this, a joint platform the State Legislatures and the Lok Sabha will be evolved which will prove effective in curbing this menace. Emphasising on the vaccination programme Hon'ble Speaker also said that the people’s representatives need to participate in the endeavors of the local LARRDIS/2021 administration. He urged the Presiding Officers to share their best practices with each other so that a standard procedure and an SOP could be developed to deal with the pandemic. During the lockdown caused by the Corona virus pandemic, the Lok Sabha Secretariat demonstrated remarkable resilience and flexibility in its response to the crisis. The Secretariat followed all the precautionary measures and SOPs issued by the Government of India, WHO and other International Organisations for the safety of the parliamentarians. In the prevailing Covid-19 crisis the Parliament has set up a Control Room in Lok Sabha Secretariat on 19 April 2020 for collecting information relating to COVID-19 and other related matters from