First session of 15th Lok Sabha from June 2

The first session of the 15th Lok Sabha is expected to begin on June two when new members would take oath and President Pratibha Patil will address a joint sitting of the Parliament, official sources said today.

The session will see appointment of senior most member of the Lok Sabha as Protem Speaker who will administer oath to the new members and also oversee the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.

Nine-term member Manikrao Gavit, who has a cumulative Parliamentary experience of 27 years and eight months is likely to be appointed as the Protem Speaker.

Gavit (75) was elected from tribal constituency of Nandurbar in Maharashtra on a Congress ticket. He served as Minister of State for Home in the UPA government.

Other senior members are CPI(M)'s Basudeb Acharia, who has a parliamentary experience of 27 years and five months, followed by Congress leader Kamal Nath (26 years two months) and Vilas Muttemwar (24 years 11 months).

As per precedent, the first session of the Lok Sabha is a short session.

The new government will take a view on whether to continue the same session for presentation of the Budget.

If the session continues without being adjourned, it can be called the budget session. This obviates the need for a monsoon session, the sources said.

The budget session is expected to last until August.

President Pratibha Patil will make the customary address to the first joint session of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, marking the beginning of the new session.