In a first, newly elected MPs to take oath inside Rajya Sabha during inter-session on July 22

For the first time, newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs will be taking oath in the Chamber when the House is not in session on July 22.

Sixty-one members were recently elected to the Rajya Sabha from 20 states.

This was decided by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, keeping in view the resumption of meetings by department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha and the keen interest expressed by the new members to participate in such meetings. Newly elected members cannot participate in the committee meetings without taking the oath.

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

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Subscribing to oath or affirmation is usually done either during the session or in the chamber of the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, if the House is not in session.

"Only one family member or guest will be allowed to accompany each member for witnessing oath-taking and they will be accommodated in the galleries of Rajya Sabha as per the social distancing norm. The Rajya Sabha gallery accommodates 67 members as per the social distancing norm," the official said.

Rajya Sabha Secretary General Desh Deepak Verma wrote to all the newly elected MPs informing them of the oath-taking. Those who fail to turn up will be administered oath or affirmation during the ensuing monsoon session.

Making/subscribing to oath or affirmation by the new members planned earlier had to be deferred in view of the concerns expressed by some of them over travelling to Delhi due to the Covid-19 situation.