The inaugural session of Parliament following the recent Lok Sabha elections commenced on Monday, with newly-elected Members of Parliament (MPs), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking their oath.
BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab was sworn in as the Pro-Tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and administered the oath to PM Modi and other MPs.
PM Narendra Modi takes oath as MP in parliament.
-वक्फ बोर्ड हटाने के लिए
-CAA-NRC लागू करने के लिए
-घुसपैठियों को निकालने के लिए
-UCC लागू करने के लिए
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-माइनॉरिटी कमीशन खत्म करने के लिए
-हिंदुओं के मंदिर को आजाद करने के लिए#ParliamentSession pic.twitter.com/9SNytsJQdz— Nitish(Modi Ka Parivar) (@Nitishvkma) June 24, 2024
Approximately 280 newly-elected MPs took their oaths on Monday, while the remaining 260, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will be sworn in tomorrow. Ahead of the session, PM Modi criticised the Congress, calling the Emergency a “blot” on democracy and emphasizing the need for substantive debate in Parliament.
The appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-Tem Speaker has sparked controversy, as this temporary post traditionally goes to the senior-most MP. The Congress expected Kodikunnil Suresh, an eight-time MP from Kerala, to be appointed instead.
The Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected on June 26, and PM Modi is expected to announce the new Speaker’s name on Wednesday. Given the BJP’s majority, their candidate is likely to succeed.
Also Read: ‘Emergency a black spot’: PM Modi hits out at Congress ahead of Parliament session
The Opposition plans to raise concerns about alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET, with the Centre recently replacing National Testing Agency Director General Subodh Singh and establishing a panel to review the agency’s operations.
The government has implemented a stringent law aimed at curbing malpractices in competitive exams, which includes a maximum jail term of 10 years and fines up to Rs 1 crore for offenders. The Congress held nationwide protests last week, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with Rahul Gandhi stating he would raise this issue in Parliament to ensure justice for affected students.
President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint session of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on June 27, likely outlining the government’s roadmap for the next five years. The current session will conclude on July 3.
