first-session-of-18th-lok-sabha-begins-today

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha begins today, marking the commencement of a new parliamentary term. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other newly-elected Members of Parliament, will take their oaths during this session.

 

The proceedings are expected to be contentious, with the opposition poised to challenge the BJP-led NDA government on several issues, including the election of the Speaker on June 26, alleged paper leaks in NEET-UG and UGC-NET, and the appointment of the pro-tem Speaker.

 

President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Following this, Mahtab will call upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take his oath as a member of the House.

 

The election of the Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled for June 26, and President Murmu will address a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on June 27.

 

This session is the first following the general elections, which resulted in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing 293 seats, while the INDIA bloc won 234 seats, with the Congress holding 99 of them. Concurrently, a meeting of newly elected Congress MPs is set for 10 am at the CPP office in Parliament today.

 

Amidst allegations of irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance exam, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have voiced their support for the affected students, targeting the BJP in their statements.

 

The appointment of BJP leader Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker has also sparked controversy. The opposition claims that Congress Member K Suresh, the senior-most member, was overlooked by the government in favour of Mahtab.

 

Despite these objections, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab will oversee the oath-taking of the newly elected members and manage the House proceedings. The Congress has criticised the central government’s decision, asserting that the traditional practice of appointing the senior member as pro-tem Speaker was ignored.

 

Congress leader K Suresh pointed out that an eighth-term MP was bypassed in favour of a seventh-term MP, calling the decision wrong and widely criticised.

 

Congress MP Hibi Eden accused the NDA government of disregarding parliamentary customs and traditions, highlighting that the pro-tem Speaker role typically goes to the senior-most member regardless of party affiliation.

 

Eden emphasised that the senior-most Dalit MP, Kodikkunnil Suresh from Kerala, was denied this role, reflecting poorly on the NDA government’s stance towards Dalits and the oppressed communities.

 

In addition to Mahtab, President Murmu appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the pro-tem Speaker in administering the oath to the newly-elected members.

 

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will run from June 24 to July 3, focusing on the oath-taking and affirmation of new members. The 264th Session of the Rajya Sabha will also begin on June 27 and conclude on July 3.

 

Moreover, the Samajwadi Party has scheduled a parliamentary meeting in Delhi today, which will be chaired by the party's National President Akhilesh Yadav. The previous session of the 17th Lok Sabha, the Budget session, was held from January 31 to February 10, 2024.