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PremiumLok Sabha Session Highlights: The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on Monday with the oath-taking ceremony by newly elected members of the Lower House, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to BJP lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as the protem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. On June 26, the Lok Sabha Speaker will also be elected, followed by President Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of both Houses the next day, June 27. The session will conclude on July 3.
The session is expected to witness the Opposition alliance INDIA bloc targeting the NDA government on several issues, including rising prices, food inflation, deaths due to an unprecedented heatwave, and recent irregularities in exam administration, including NEET UG, NEET PG, UGC NET, and others. These irregularities have caused unrest among students and raised concerns about the effectiveness of the institutions responsible for conducting exams.
This marks the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha following the general elections, in which the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured 293 seats, the INDIA bloc obtained 234 seats, and the Congress party held 99 of those seats.
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Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda has been made the Leader of House in Rajya Sabha
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Newly elected MP and Union Minister Chirag Paswan says, "The issues related to the public should be raised but issues which create confusion should not be raised..." on protest by INDIA bloc leaders.
On the NEET issue, the union minister said, "The government has nothing to hide...The government has taken this issue very seriously. Investigation agencies are conducting investigations. For the welfare of students, the decision will be taken shortly...The culprits will not be spared"
Congress MP Praniti Shinde says, "It was a very emotional moment when I was climbing up the stairs but I wish it had been in the old Parliament House because I think that one has more history. It was iconic. Nevertheless, it was my first step in this temple of democracy and I was very emotional. I felt proud to serve the country. Looking forward to working and serving the people of this country...There are a lot of challenges - inflation, unemployment, NEET, democracy is in danger and we will take all this up..."
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh says, "...How the Constitution is in danger? The Constitution is not in danger. It is not being changed..."
Congress MPs KC Venugopal and K Suresh, and Union Minister-BJP MP Giriraj Singh share a candid moment on the staircase of the new Parliament building.
On PM Modi's remarks on Emergency, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy says, "He is right. He remembered what happened at that time."
On Congress MPs carrying copies of the Constitution to the Parliament, he says, "These are all just gimmicks..."
On protest by INDIA bloc leaders, BJP MP Arun Govil says, "BJP has always respected the Constitution...Congress imposed the Emergency. Any party can say anything. BJP has never done anything like this."
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: "PM Modi has said we will positively give answers to the opposition. We expect the opposition to run the House positively and play its role. Parliament will run in a good environment," said BJP MP Shankar Lalwani.
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: "Attack by PM Modi and Amit Shah on the Constitution is unacceptable; we won’t let this happen. That's why we held Constitution while taking oath. Our message is being conveyed," said Rahul Gandhi.
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha Session, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that no power can touch India's Constitution we will protect it: Rahul Gandhi after opposition protest in Parliament premises
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Union Ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Nityanand Rai take oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Faizabad (Ayodhya) MP Awadhesh Prasad on Monday said, " I will live up to the expectations of god-like voters of Faizabad...Our agendas will be decided now...we have good plans for Ayodhya."
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Union Ministers CR Patil and Dr Jitendra Singh took oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: "Narendra Modi, who for the last 10 years has been running an undeclared emergency, who has no respect for democracy, Constitution, who has not answered a single question on the floor of the Parliament, his government in the last session, suspended 146 Opposition MPs from Parliament, 300 questions were struck off record, the PM uses agencies of states against Opposition parties, he has undermined, damaged, destroyed Indian democracy to an extent no other PM had done, not even Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi called the an Emergency for 21 months, at the end of it, she called the election, accepted the verdict and left," TMC leader Sagarika Ghose told PTI.
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, along with other leaders, stage protest inside Parliament premises.
Lok Sabha Session LIVE Updates: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Speaking to ANI Tagore said, "The attitude of the government is still that of an arrogant government. They superseded a Dalit MP who was an 8-term MP. K Suresh should have been the pro-tem speaker. Unfortunately, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister has taken such a decision without any consultation with the opposition parties..."
Union Minister and JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh takes oath as member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Union Minister and BJP MP Piyush Goyal takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Union Minister and BJP MP Dharmendra Pradhan takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Union Minister and JD(S) MP HD Kumaraswamy takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi arrives at Parliament.
TMC MP Sougata Roy says, "We are opposing BJP's efforts to destroy the Constitution, to amend it beyond recognition."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.
PM Modi notes Emergency's 50th anniversary falls on June 25, calls it a 'black spot' on India's democracy when Constitution was discarded.
First session of the 18th Lok Sabha commences at the new Parliament building. Swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected MPs to take place shortly.
"The people of the country expect good steps from the opposition. I hope that the opposition will live up to the expectations of the common citizens of the country to maintain the dignity of democracy. People do not want drama, disturbance. People want substance, not slogans. The country needs a good opposition, a responsible opposition and I have full faith that the MPs who have won in this 18th Lok Sabha will try to fulfill these expectations of the common man..."
INDIA bloc leaders holding copy of Constitution protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament, Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The people of the country have given us an opportunity for the third time. This is a great victory, a grand victory. Our responsibility increased threefold...So, I assure the countrymen that in our third tenure, we will work three times harder and we will get three-time results."
PM Narendra Modi says, "Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years of the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, democracy was completely suppressed...While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India, the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India."
PM Narendra Modi says, "...The 18th Lok Sabha is starting today. The world's largest election was conducted in a very grand and glorious manner... This election has also become very important because for the second time after independence, the people of the country have given an opportunity to a government to serve for the third consecutive time..."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "In Parliamentary democracy, this is a glorious day...For the first time after independence, swearing-in ceremony is taking place at our own new Parliament building. It used to happen in the Old Parliament building. On this significant day, I extend a hearty welcome to all newly-elected MPs, extend them greetings and best wishes."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Parliament, ahead of the commencement of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha today.
Congress MP KC Venugopal says, "...INDIA Alliance is starting the era of a new Parliament with a great symbol. Mahatma Gandhi is a guiding light for the entire nation. The way in which BJP removed the statue of Mahatma Gandhi is unacceptable...Their (BJP) intention to kill democracy is reflecting through this decision - to shift the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to a corner. Then also, we fought the election with this Constitution. It is very important for the nation that the Constitution is maintained for a great future. The way BJP tried to change the Constitution is stopped by the people of India...We are holding the Constitution before going to the Parliament for swearing-in. We are sending a message that Constitution is important..."
On the Pro-tem Speaker issue, "...This is nothing against any individual...You have a senior-most member coming from grassroots level, an 8-term member (K Suresh). What was the criteria for him not being made a Pro-tem Speaker? This is also a clear show of BJP's mindset..."
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain says, "There will be a positive beginning. Many new MPs have come. We have called all our MPs to the CPP office so that we can instruct them about parliamentary work. There will be a constructive opposition. We will raise people's issues and when it comes to the country, we will cooperate in that too..."
BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab takes oath as Pro-tem Speaker.
PM Modi attends oath-taking ceremony of Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday called on BJP leader B Mahtab ahead of his swearing in as pro-tem speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu.
Rijiju was accompanied by his deputies Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan.
"Had the privilege of meeting Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab ji before his swearing-in ceremony as the pro tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha..." Rijiju wrote on X.
First Session of 18th Lok Sabha: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reaches the Parliament.
BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab who has been appointed pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and other party leaders leaves from his residence in Delhi.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin today.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore says, "...the attitude of the government is still that of an arrogant government. They superseded a Dalit MP who is an 8-term MP. K Suresh should have been the pro-tem speaker. It is very unfortunate that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister has taken such a decision without any consultation with the opposition parties..."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, "...I met all the leaders. Just now I met DMK Parliamentary Party leader TR Baalu. Everyone agrees that Pro tem Speaker has never been an issue in the history of Indian Parliament and the appointment of Pro tem Speaker is basically to administer oath to the newly elected members and help in the election of the new Speaker..."
Congress MP K Suresh says, "...The NDA government has violated the convention of Lok Sabha. So far, the convention was that the MP who was elected for a maximum number of times will be the pro-tem Speaker... Bhartruhari Mahtab is 7th time elected MP. However, I am the 8th time elected MP. They are insulting the opposition again. That's why the INDIA alliance unanimously decided to boycott the panel members..."
An official letter marking list of business for the day in parliament mentioned, "Observance of silence for a short while to mark the solemn occasion of the first sitting of the Eighteenth Lok Sabha,"
"Secretary-General to lay on the Table a list (Hindi and English versions), containing the names of Members elected to the Eighteenth Lok Sabha at the General Elections of 2024, submitted by the Election Commission of India," added the list of business.
The Parliament building is all set to host the first Session of the 18th Lok Sabha today.
Delhi: The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha to begin today.
Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju leaves from his residence
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin today.
According to the sources, Congress and India Bloc parties are upset with the fact that tradition has been broken as Mehtab was made the Protem Speaker instead of the 8-time Congress MP K Suresh.
The Congress has reacted sharply to the central government's decision to appoint Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress, saying that the appointment by the BJP deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior member.
