Andhra Pradesh Legislature became the first state Assembly in the country to hold its sitting under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic as the Budget Session began on Tuesday amid unprecedented measures.
Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan addressed the state Legislature through video conferencing from Raj Bhavan to formally mark the beginning of the session. This is perhaps the first time in the history of any state Legislature in the country that the Governor remotely delivered the customary address.
Wearing face masks the Legislators sat as per the new seating arrangement to ensure social distancing. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, some of his cabinet colleagues and MLAs, however, were seen without masks.
Every seat in the Assembly and Council was sanitized while the health department has made arrangements to conduct COVID-19 tests on those Legislators who had not undergone the tests earlier.
Finance Minister B Rajendranath will present the Budget for 2020-21 in the Assembly in the afternoon session. In the Council, leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister P. Subhash Chandra Bose will present the budget.