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The BJP has begun consultations with its allies on the ruling NDA's candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post while the opposition INDIA bloc is considering its options and may force a contest to score political points, sources said on Monday, a day before the filing of nomination for the key position. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which enjoys a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, gave little indication about its choice as it weighs its options and looks to deny the opposition any opportunity to mount a political attack. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Union minister K Rammohan Naidu told reporters that the alliance's leaders, including his party's president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, will take a decision on the matter, adding that no final decision has been conveyed to them yet. A leader of another BJP ally said on the condition of anonymity that the BJP leadership has held consultations with him. He declined to discuss the details. With th
Parliament session updates: PM Modi was the first one to take oath as the Leader of the House. This is PM Modi's third term as a member of the Lok Sabha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the people did not want drama or slogans being raised in the House, but substance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said people have given his government mandate for a third consecutive term and have put a stamp of approval on its policies and intentions. He also said that the 18th Lok Sabha begins on Monday with a resolve of building a 'Shreshtha Bharat' and 'Viksit Bharat'. Addressing the media in Parliament complex at the beginning of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, PM Modi asserted that his government will take everyone along in fulfilling the aspirations of the people. Modi also noted that Emergency's 50th anniversary falls on June 25, and described it as a "black spot" on India's democracy when Constitution was discarded. Welcoming new MPs, he said the 18th Lok Sabha commences with a dream of building a developed India by 2047. People expect good steps from the opposition but it has been disappointing so far, he said while expressing hope that it will fulfil its role and maintain democracy's decorum. India needs a responsible opposition and
Ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha's first session, PM Modi took note of the Emergency's 50th anniversary that falls on June 25. He called it a blot on democracy.
The 18th Lok Sabha's first session began today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking oath as member of the House.
Opposition leaders hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "Emergency" remark on Monday, questioning his government's style of functioning and saying that it needs to focus on present issues. Addressing the media in the Parliament complex ahead of the start of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi mentioned that the anniversary of the Emergency falls on June 25 and termed it a black spot in India's parliamentary history when the Constitution was discarded and the country turned into a prison. Reacting to the remark, Mahua Moitra of the TMC said the BJP fell short of a majority in the election because the people of the country have realised that it is against the Constitution. "From 303, the BJP is down to 240, they are running a minority government. They kept saying '400-paar' but could not even get a simple majority. "The only reason is that the people of the country have understood that there is BJP on one side and the Constitution on the other. People have chose
The Lok Sabha witnessed a display of linguistic diversity on Monday, with the newly-elected MPs taking their oaths in English and Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri, Bengali, Assamese and Odia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his oath in Hindi amid slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" from the treasury benches. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Urban Development Minister ML Khattar were among those who took oath in Hindi. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the MP from Odisha's Sambalpur, took oath in Odia. As Pradhan proceeded to take his oath, members of the opposition raised "NEET, NEET" slogans, amid a controversy over alleged irregularities in competitive exams, including the medical entrance exam National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG). Suresh Gopi, the first BJP MP to
INDIA bloc MPs gathered in the Parliament complex on Monday in a show of strength on the first day of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, holding copies of the Constitution and raising slogans on "saving democracy". Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress' Sudip Bandyopadhyay, DMK's TR Baalu, among others assembled at the spot where the Gandhi statue once stood in the Parliament complex. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi also joined the MPs. Holding copies of the Constitution in their hands, they raised slogans such as "long live Constitution", "we will save Constitution", "save our democracy". Rahul Gandhi said they would not allow the Constitution to be "attacked" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. "This attack is not acceptable to us and that is why we held the Constitution and took oath," he said. "Our message is reaching the public and no power can touch the Constit
The Opposition is likely to corner the government for lapses in national examinations and the Agnipath scheme, among others, in the first session of the Lok Sabha for the Modi 3.0 govt
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said he was positively looking forward to coordination to run Parliament, as the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha gets underway. In a post on X, Rijiju said he shall always be available to assist the members of Parliament as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. "The First Session of the 18th Lok Sabha begins today, the 24th June, 2024. I welcome all the newly elected Hon'ble members. I shall be always available to assist the members as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. I'm positively looking forward to co-ordination to run the house," Rijiju said. The newly elected members of the Lok Sabha are set to take oath or make affirmation over the next two days before the Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab and the panel of chairpersons. The new Lok Sabha will elect its Speaker on Wednesday. President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to address the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, setting out the agenda o
The first session is expected to be stormy as the opposition is likely to corner the BJP-led NDA government on the election of the Speaker on June 26
New Lok Sabha must follow the basics
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha beginning Monday will see oath-taking by newly elected members followed by election of the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 26 and President Droupadi Murmu's address to joint sitting of both the Houses on June 27. The row over appointment of BJP leader and seven-term member Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem speaker is likely to cast shadow over the session. The move has drawn flak from the opposition, which alleged that the claim of Congress member K Suresh to the post was overlooked by the government. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that Mahtab has had seven uninterrupted terms as Lok Sabha member, making him eligible for the post, while Suresh lost elections in 1998 and 2004 which makes his current term as the fourth straight one in the lower house. Earlier, he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 1999. On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha
The topic of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in farming will be raised in the upcoming session of Parliament, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday. Addressing the media alongside his brother Prataprao Pawar and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, the veteran politician highlighted the potential of AI technology in revolutionising agricultural practices. He claimed the AI method (in farming) has been introduced in Baramati- the Lok Sabha constituency represented by his daughter Supriya Sule -for the first time in the country. The former Union agriculture minister also said sugarcane production can be increased at low cost through AI technology. "We will raise questions about farmers and farming in the upcoming session of Parliament. Even the topic of the use of AI in farming will be brought up," Pawar said. He said AI can be instrumental in planning water and rainwater management. "AI is a topic of global discussion, and its application in agriculture can be vast.
Ahead of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, the NDA government and the INDIA bloc sparred on the issue of Pro-tem Speaker with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing the Congress of resorting to lies and the opposition threatening to refuse to join the panel of chairpersons in the House. President Droupadi Murmu had appointed BJP leader and seven-term member Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who is tasked with administering the oath and affirmation to the newly-elected members of the lower house and preside over the election of the Speaker. The President had also named five senior members -? K Suresh (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) to assist Mahtab in the process that will take place over the first three days of the Lok Sabha Session commencing on June 24. The Congress had alleged that the government has violated procedures and conventions and ignored the ..
Opposition leaders nominated to the panel of chairpersons to assist the pro tem Speaker are considering not accepting the positions, a source said on Saturday. The development comes amid opposition parties objecting to the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro tem Speaker. Mahtab, a BJP member from Cuttack, Odisha was appointed as pro tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of the Lok Sabha presiding officer till the election of the Speaker on June 26. A panel of chairpersons was also announced to assist the pro tem Speaker during the special session of Parliament for members of the new Lok Sabha to take oath. Sources from the opposition parties said the three opposition MPs -- Congress leader K Suresh, TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, and DMK leader T R Baalu -- who have been nominated to assist the pro tem Speaker are considering not being part of the panel. BJP members Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste
A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Congress slammed the Centre over the pro-tem Speaker appointment issue, the BJP on Saturday hit back by asking the grand old party to make Kodikunnil Suresh as the Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha. Both Vijayan and the Congress have claimed that not appointing Suresh, the senior most MP in the Lok Sabha, as the pro-tem Speaker is a violation of the conventions followed in the past. Hitting back, BJP state chief K Surendran said that the Congress should protest against the Centre's decision by making Suresh the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He also termed the Congress MP from Mavelikara constituency as "brilliant", a member of the Dalit community and a member from Kerala -- "the family home of Rahul (Gandhi) and Priyanka (Gandhi) today and tomorrow Vadra's". "At any rate, this man (Suresh) should be made the leader of the opposition. This is how the Congress party should express its protest against him not bei
The war of words indicated that the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which begins on Monday, is likely to be combative