Lok Sabha session live: INDIA bloc leaders protest outside Parliament

Lok Sabha session live updates: Faizabad (Ayodhya) MP Awadhesh Prasad says, “I will fulfill the expectations of the revered voters of Faizabad…Our agendas will now be determined…we have promising plans for Ayodhya.”

The inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya earlier this year was regarded as one of the pivotal emotive issues of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, it did not translate into electoral gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the party lost all five Lok Sabha seats of the Ayodhya division, including the Faizabad constituency. Dig deeper

Lok Sabha session live updates: During the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha, leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc, such as Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Sonia Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, are staging a protest outside the Parliament. They are seen holding copies of the Constitution in opposition to the BJP-led government.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji, in conversation with ANI regarding the ongoing NEET controversy, says, “The issue of NEET is critical for the nation… Middle-class individuals are unable to afford costly private medical colleges. Hence, they aspire for government colleges. However, there are significant discrepancies in government exams… They (the central government) have also canceled the UGC NET exam… The state government cannot be held accountable for this. It is the central government’s responsibility for the irregularities. It reflects the failure of the Education department.”

JMM, as a part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, is actively protesting against the BJP-led government outside the Parliament, while holding copies of the Constitution.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Union Ministers Bhupender Yadav and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat take oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab is administering the oath of newly elected MPs in the Lower House.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju and Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya take oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Union Minister and HAM(S) MP Jitan Ram Manjhi, along with Union Minister and JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, takes oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took oath as a member of the Lok Sabha amid slogans of ‘NEET’ by the Opposition in the House.

Huge protests across the country are taking place over alleged ‘irregularities’ in the medical exam NEET-UG and the recent postponement of NEET-PG by the Opposition.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and others took oath as members of the House on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath earlier today as the Leader of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab is administering the oath to all newly elected MPs for the Parliament today.

Lok Sabha session live updates: All the three Opposition leaders, TR Balu of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), K Suresh of the Congress and Sudip Bandopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress, who are in the panel to assist pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, did not show up to perform their duties as a mark of protest over the appointment of the pro-tem Speaker.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath as the Leader of the House for the 18th Lok Sabha on Monday as all the newly elected Members of the Parliament as set for oath today.

Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab is administering the oath for the newly elected MPs.

Lok Sabha session live updates: The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, began on Monday, with the “Observance of silence,” marking the solemn occasion of the first sitting of the Eighteenth Lok Sabha.

After this, parliament will hold the oath-taking ceremony of newly-elected Members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

An official letter marking list of business for the day in parliament mentioned, “Observance of silence for a short while to mark the solemn occasion of the first sitting of the Eighteenth Lok Sabha,”

Lok Sabha session live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address ahead of the parliamentary session, said that his government will strive to achieve consensus to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

“The people of the country expect good steps from the opposition. I hope that the opposition will live up to the expectations of the common citizens of the country to maintain the dignity of democracy. People do not want drama or disturbance. People want substance, not slogans. The country needs a good opposition, a responsible opposition, and I have full faith that the MPs who have won in this 18th Lok Sabha will try to fulfil these expectations of the common man,” he said.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Reacalling the period of Emergency invoked in 1975, PM Narendra Modi during his address ahead of Lok Sabha session, said, “Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years of the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, democracy was completely suppressed…While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India, the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India.”

The Emergency in India, spanning from 1975 to 1977, was a 21-month period during which Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency nationwide. On the recommendation of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declared a state of national emergency on 25 June 1975.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrived at the Parliament, ahead of the commencement of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha today.

Lok Sabha session live updates: PM Narendra Modi during his address outside the Parliament building on Monday says, “The 18th Lok Sabha is starting today. The world’s largest election was conducted in a very grand and glorious manner… This election has also become very important because for the second time after independence, the people of the country have given an opportunity to a government to serve for the third consecutive time.”

Lok Sabha session live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins to address media ahead of first session of 18th Lok Sabha

He says, “In Parliamentary democracy, this is a glorious day…For the first time after independence, swearing-in ceremony is taking place at our own new Parliament building. It used to happen in the Old Parliament building. On this significant day, I extend a hearty welcome to all newly-elected MPs, extend them greetings and best wishes.”

Lok Sabha session live updates: Three Opposition leaders, including TR Balu of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), K Suresh of the Congress, and Sudip Bandopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress, who are part of the panel assisting pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, may abstain from their duties as a form of protest, a senior Opposition figure revealed on Saturday.

The Opposition intends to withdraw its representatives from the panel due to its dissatisfaction with the BJP’s decision to bypass K Suresh, an eighth-term legislator, for the role of pro-tem Speaker and appoint Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mahtab as the interim Speaker. Dig deeper

Lok Sabha session live updates: President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Mahtab is now scheduled to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take the oath as a member of the House.

Lok Sabha session live updates: On Monday, the Opposition is anticipated to bring up several issues in Parliament to challenge the NDA government.

Two primary concerns are likely to dominate discussions in the 18th Lok Sabha: the NEET-UG and NTA controversies, and the selection of the new Speaker.

The first focal point is expected to be the Speaker election scheduled for June 26, along with the appointment of Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Dig deeper

Lok Sabha session live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the media shortly before the commencement of the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha session today.

This marks the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha following the general elections, during which the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured 293 seats and the INDIA bloc won 234, with the Congress holding 99 of them.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the newly elected Congress MPs has been convened at 10 am at the CPP office in Parliament today.

Lok Sabha session live updates: BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, appointed as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and other party leaders, leaves from his residence in Delhi to the Parliament.

President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha today. Subsequently, Mahtab will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take his oath as a member of the House.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Commenting on the controversy surrounding the appointment of the pro-tem Speaker before the commencement of the Parliament session for the 18th Lok Sabha, Congress MP Manickam Tagore states, “The government’s attitude remains that of arrogance. They overlooked a Dalit MP who has served for eight terms. K Suresh should have been appointed as the pro-tem speaker. Regrettably, the decision was made by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister without consulting the opposition parties.”

Lok Sabha session live updates: Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju expressed his optimistic outlook towards coordinating the functioning of Parliament ahead of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which will begin today.

In a post on X, Rijiju affirmed his readiness to support Members of Parliament in their duties as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

Over the next two days, newly elected Lok Sabha members will undertake the oath or affirmation ceremony before pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab and the panel of chairpersons.

The election for the Speaker of the new Lok Sabha is scheduled for Wednesday.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Congress MP K Suresh speaking about the row over the appointment of pro-tem Speaker, says, “The NDA government has violated the convention of Lok Sabha. So far, the convention was that the MP who was elected for a maximum number of times will be the pro-tem Speaker… Bhartruhari Mahtab is 7th time elected MP. However, I am the 8th time elected MP. They are insulting the opposition again. That’s why the INDIA alliance unanimously decided to boycott the panel members.”