Parliamentarians may be ruing the fact that their “right” to Question the Government on the floor of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha has been suspended by the Centre, with the doing away of the Question Hour in the forthcoming Monsoon Session, but it has certainly brought a huge sigh of relief to the babus who have escaped the grind of preparing answers to the MPs’ questions.

All questions for Question Hour — the first hour of business every day when Parliament is in session — have to be tabled 15 days before the session and preparation for this involves a very tiring process at various ministry and departments of the Government.

“Yes, indeed. We are a bit relaxed this time. More often than not, most of our time used to get consumed in framing answers to questions for which we had to leave all other important work of the Ministry. One answer had the involvement right from Secretariat staff till the Secretary of the department and then briefing the concerned Minister. While we are already undergoing huge amount of stress in our daily office routine due to Coronavirus, the foregoing of Question Hour this time can be termed as a blessing in disguise,” said a top officer in a Ministry.

MPs are required to submit questions for Question Hour in Parliament 15 days in advance. The Monsoon Session is scheduled from September 14 and for the first time in the history of Parliament, there will not be any Question Hour keeping in view safeguards related to the coronavirus pandemic.