The 18th Lok Sabha session commenced today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking oath as a member. The swearing-in of other Union ministers and newly elected MPs is currently in progress. Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab is administering the oath to the newly elected MPs.
Earlier today, President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.
During the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected MPs, Congress and INDIA bloc MPs, who are panel members, chose not to participate. This decision was made due to their dissatisfaction over the appointment of BJP MP Bhartruhari Mehtab as pro-tem Speaker instead of the eight-time Congress MP K Suresh.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will continue until July 3, with the swearing-in of all newly elected Members of Parliament. The election for the Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled for June 26, followed by President Murmu’s address to a joint session of both houses on June 27. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha will be selected for the first time in a decade.
Latest highlights
- President Droupadi Murmu has sworn in BJP lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Subsequently, Mahtab extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take his oath as a member of the House.
- President Murmu has designated Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to aid the pro-tem Speaker in administering the oath to the newly elected members. Nevertheless, three Opposition MPs abstained from assisting the pro-tem Speaker.
- The upcoming session is anticipated to be contentious as the opposition plans to challenge the BJP-led NDA government on the election of the Speaker on June 26, discussions regarding alleged paper leaks in NEET-UG and UGC-NET, and disagreements over the appointment of the pro-tem Speaker.
- The Opposition is set to confront the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on various issues including escalating prices, food inflation, fatalities due to an intense heatwave, and recent “irregularities” in exam management.
When is the scheduled date for the election of the new Speaker?
On June 26, the Lok Sabha will elect its Speaker. In a new Lok Sabha, the Speaker is chosen by a simple majority vote. Until the Speaker is elected, a pro-tem Speaker is appointed to temporarily carry out essential functions. The term ‘pro-tem’ indicates that this position is temporary.
INDIA bloc leaders protest outside Parliament holding copies of Constitution
Live updates from the Lok Sabha session: As the newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha take their oaths, prominent leaders from the Opposition INDIA bloc, including Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Sonia Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, are currently participating in a protest outside the Parliament. They are visibly holding copies of the Constitution in defiance of the BJP-led government.
JMM MP asserts that private colleges are unaffordable for the middle class amidst the NEET controversy.
Lok Sabha session live updates: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji, in conversation with ANI regarding the ongoing NEET controversy, says, “The issue of NEET is critical for the nation… Middle-class individuals are unable to afford costly private medical colleges. Hence, they aspire for government colleges. However, there are significant discrepancies in government exams… They (the central government) have also canceled the UGC NET exam… The state government cannot be held accountable for this. It is the central government’s responsibility for the irregularities. It reflects the failure of the Education department.”
JMM, as a part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, is actively protesting against the BJP-led government outside the Parliament, while holding copies of the Constitution.
Bhupendra Yadav and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, both Union ministers, have been sworn in.
Live updates from the Lok Sabha session: Members of the 18th Lok Sabha, Bhupender Yadav and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, have taken their oath as Union Ministers. The pro-tem speaker, Bhartruhari Mahtab, is currently administering the oath to the newly elected Members of Parliament in the Lower House.
Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union education minister, was sworn in while facing chants of ‘NEET’ from the opposition.
Amidst the chants of ‘NEET’ from the Opposition, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was sworn in as a member of the Lok Sabha during the live updates of the session. The country is witnessing widespread protests against the alleged ‘irregularities’ in the NEET-UG medical exam and the recent postponement of NEET-PG, both of which have been strongly criticized by the Opposition.