61 newly elected members of Rajya Sabha to take oath on July 22

New Delhi: Newly elected members of Rajya Sabha will take oath on July 22 in the House chamber, sources said on Friday. This is the first time that oath-taking of members will take place in the House chamber during the inter-session period so as to maintain norms of physical distancing due to COVID-19, officials said.

Oath-taking is usually done either during the session or in the chamber of the Rajya Sabha Chairman when the House is not in session. Sixty-one members were recently elected to Rajya Sabha from 20 states.

Rajya Sabha officials said each member would be allowed only one guest to accompany them at the oath-taking ceremony.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has decided to this effect, keeping in view resumption of meetings by the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and keen interest expressed by the new members to participate in such meetings.

Some newly elected/re-elected members of Rajya Sabha like K Keshava Rao and Tiruchi Siva are the Chairmen of Parliamentary Committees, who, without being administered oath or affirmation, cannot convene the meetings of respective committees, the officials said.

Newly elected members also cannot participate in the committee meetings without making or subscribing to oath or affirmation.

The Secretary General of Rajya Sabha wrote to all the newly elected members informing them of the oath-taking on July 22. Those who fail to turn up will be administered oath or affirmation during the ensuing monsoon session, the officials said.

Oath-taking by the new members planned earlier had to be deferred in view of concerns expressed by some of them over travelling to Delhi, officials said.