GUWAHATI, Aug 30 - Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a four-day autumn session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin on Monday. For the third consecutive day on Sunday, COVID-19 tests were carried out for legislators and Assembly staff and other personnel who would be attending the session. During the day, 118 tests were conducted, of which 10 were found positive for the novel coronavirus.
�Thirty two legislators underwent tests today and four of them � Rituparna Barua, Naren Sonowal, Anuwar Hussain Lashkar and Nazrul Haque � were found positive. Lashkar has been admitted to GNRC, while the others have opted for home isolation,� an Assembly Secretariat official said.
On Saturday, 208 rapid antigen tests were carried out at the Assembly premises and nine persons, including Haflong MLA Bir Bhadra Hagjer and a couple of journalists and staff of the Assembly were found positive. On Friday, five persons who were tested along with 100 others were found positive. Over 25 legislators have tested positive for the virus so far.
Meanwhile, according to the notices received by the Assembly Secretariat from various departments, 21 bills are likely to come up during the session. Among the new Bills are The Birangana Sati Sadhini Rajyik Vishwaidyalaya Bill, 2020, The Assam Agricultural Produce & Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Assam MSME (Facilitation of Establishment and Operation) Bill, 2020 and The Assam Skill University Bill, 2020.
The government is also likely to move Bills for two amendments in existing labour laws.
The Cultural Affairs department will bring The Assam Heritage (Tangible) Protection, Preservation and Conservation and Maintenance Bill, 2020. Also, The Moran Autonomous Council Bill, 2020, The Matak Autonomous Council Bill, 2020, The Kamatapur Autonomous Council Bill, 2020 and The Bodo Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council Bill, 2020, which were introduced during the Budget Session on March 24, have also been listed.
The government will place the Supplementary Demands for 2020-21 during the session.
During the session, the Opposition is likely to raise issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and impact of the lockdown. Various restrictions have been imposed inside the Assembly in view of the pandemic.