Inaugural session of new Lok Sabha from June 4

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Inaugural session of new Lok Sabha from June 4

Names of Advani, Joshi figure as BJP mulls choice for Speaker

By Sonny Abraham (Reporting from New Delhi)

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Published: Fri 30 May 2014, 9:00 PM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 2:06 AM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signs a paper as he takes charge of the prime minister's office (PMO) at South Block in New Delhi on May 27, 2014. - Reuters

The inaugural session of India’s new Lok Sabha will commence on June 4 and end on June 11, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided on Thursday.

A recommendation to this effect will be sent to President Pranab Mukherjee, who will summon both Houses of Parliament to meet accordingly.

Briefing newspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the newly-elected members of the 16th Lok Sabha would be sworn in on June 4 and 5. The new Speaker will be elected on May 6. The President’s customary address to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament will be made in the Central Hall of Parliament on June 9.

On the next two days, the two Houses will have a debate on the motion of thanks to the President for his address, during which Mr Modi is expected to make an intervention in both Houses.

Naidu said the government might consider extending the session by a day, if necessary, to attend to any urgent business that might crop up.

Former Union Minister Kamal Nath of the Congress, who is the seniormost member in the new Lok Sabha, will be sworn in as the Pro Tem Speaker by the President ahead of the session.

He has been a member of the Lok Sabha for the past 31 years. Nath will be assisted by three other senior members — Arjun Charan Sethi (Biju Janata Dal), former Speaker Purno A Sangma (National People’s Party) and Biren Singh Engti (Congress) — in conducting the sittings.

The BJP is, meanwhile, finalising its choice for the Speaker’s position. The names being mentioned include former Minister Sumitra Mahajan, one of the seniormost members of the House, and Karia Munda, who was Deputy Speaker of the previous Lok Sabha. The names of veteran BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi have also figured in this regard.

Naidu said that the process of electing the Deputy Speaker, a position that is often given to the Opposition, would be taken up after the election of the Speaker.

The Congress has managed to get only 44 seats in the House this time, 11 short of the 55-mark needed to give it the post of the Leader of the Opposition. But the Speaker can make an exception in the matter.

news@khaleejtimes.com


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