Following the Lok Sabha elections on June 4, the NDA formed the government for the third time, and on June 9, Narendra Modi took the oath of office as Prime Minister for the third time. With the cabinet sworn in, the country is now poised for the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha, commencing on Monday, June 24.
This session promises to be extraordinary
The session is bound to be special in several ways. Firstly, all MPs will participate in the swearing-in ceremony. Protem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab will administer the oath to all MPs. The election for the Speaker's position is also scheduled to take place. President Draupadi Murmu will address the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on June 27. The formal debate on the Presidential address will begin on June 28, with the Prime Minister expected to respond to the debate on either July 2 or July 3. Spanning from June 24 to July 3, the session will encompass a total of eight meetings over ten days.
The session could be impacted by the controversy surrounding the appointment of Protem Speaker
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will commence on Monday with newly elected members taking their oath, followed by the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 26, and a joint sitting of both houses on June 27 to hear President Draupadi Murmu's address. Bhartruhari Mahtab, a BJP leader with seven parliamentary terms under his belt, may face controversy over his appointment as the Protem Speaker.
Source: aajtak
The opposition has criticized the decision to appoint Mahtab as Protem Speaker. They allege that the government has ignored K. Suresh's claim to the position. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju contends that Mahtab's seven consecutive terms as a Lok Sabha member render him a suitable candidate for the post.
Opposition demanded that K. Suresh be made Protem Speaker
The opposition's demand was for K. Suresh to be appointed as the Protem Speaker. Suresh had lost the elections in 1998 and 2004. This is his fourth consecutive term in the lower house, having been elected previously in 1989, 1991, 1996, and 1999.
Here's the schedule for the first day, June 24
On Monday, President Draupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Protem Speaker at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mahtab will then proceed to Parliament and at 11 am, he will convene the Lok Sabha. The first meeting of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin with a moment of silence by the members, followed by the Lok Sabha Secretary-General Utpal Kumar Singh placing the list of elected members on the House's table. Subsequently, Mahtab will invite PM Modi to take his oath as a member of the House. After swearing in the Council of Ministers, the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker will take place on June 26, with the President-appointed panel of chairpersons aiding Mahtab in conducting House proceedings.
These leaders are included in the panel appointed to assist the Protem Speaker
President has appointed Kodikunnil Suresh (Congress), T.R. Balu (DMK), Radha Mohan Singh, and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP), and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) to assist Mahtab in administering the oath to the newly elected Lok Sabha members.
Election for the Lok Sabha Speaker scheduled on Wednesday
Following the panel of chairpersons, the Protem Speaker will swear in the Council of Ministers as Lok Sabha members. State members will take the oath over the next two days in alphabetical order. The election for the Lok Sabha Speaker's position will take place on Wednesday, and the Prime Minister will subsequently introduce his Council of Ministers to the House. The President is set to address a joint meeting of both parliamentary houses on June 27. The debate on the Presidential address will start on June 28th. It's expected that the Prime Minister will respond to the debate on either July 2nd or July 3rd.
Topics like NEET-NET exams and Agnipath scheme to be raised as soon as the session begins
One of the remarkable aspects is that for the first time since 2014 and 2019, there will appear to be a formidable opposition in the 2024 general election. Considering the current situation, it seems the opposition will attempt to corner the government on issues like NEET examination inconsistencies and the Agnipath scheme during this session. This means the session will witness a confrontation between the NDA government and a strengthened opposition inside the House.
Leader of the Opposition to be appointed after 10 years
The position of Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha has remained vacant for the last 10 years, but this time, Congress will occupy the seat. No opposition party had won 54 seats since 2014, which is necessary to qualify for the role according to Mavalankar's rule, which requires 10% of the total Lok Sabha strength of 543, equating to 54 MPs. Mallikarjun Kharge led a 44-member Congress parliamentary party in the 16th Lok Sabha but did not receive the stature of LOP.
Source: aajtak
18th Lok Sabha forms NDA vs. INDIA block
The NDA coalition has 293 MPs. Including PM Modi, 72 MPs took the oath on June 9th. The INDIA block has won 234 seats. Congress holds 99 seats, making it the second-largest party in the house, although the number rose to 100 after Vishal Patil, an independent winner from Maharashtra's Sangli, joined Congress.
Leader of the Opposition's track record in the past two Lok Sabhas
In the 16th Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge led a 44-member Congress parliamentary party without the designation of LOP. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury led 52 MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha but lacked cabinet-level privileges. This time around, Congress secured wins in 99 constituencies. Though Wynad requires a by-election, Congress satisfies the Mavalankar rule's mandate for 10% representation, entitling the party to the LOP post and cabinet-like authorities.
Source: aajtak
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