AMN / CHANDIGARH

As many as 23 MLAs including Cabinet Ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Shyam Sunder Arora and Gurpreet Singh Kangar have been found positive for Covid19 ahead of the one-day monsoon session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

While three Cabinet ministers had tested positive earlier other than Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, who had recovered and tested negative yesterday. The remaining MLAs tested positive this week. Some of them had undertaken the test yesterday and today as it is mandatory to have a Covid negative report before attending the session, scheduled for August 28.

Punjab Vidhan Sabha officials have told that three Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, six from Akali Dal and 13 Congress MLAs have tested positive.

The MLAs who have been tested positive for COVID-19 were present in the legislative party meetings of both Aam Aadmi Party and Shiromani Akali Dal held on Tuesday at Chandigarh.They have to quarantine themselves for five days as per protocol of the Health department.

As a result, only two MLAs from AAP, who could not attend the meeting yesterday, will be allowed to attend the session on Friday, while none from the Akali Dal can attend the session. The session has been called as it is a constitutional requirement to call a session within six months of the previous session.