Lok Sabha session live updates: On the opening day of the 18th Lok Sabha session, 262 newly elected MPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took the oath. The remaining 281 new MPs, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, will take their oaths on today, with the election for the Speaker’s post scheduled for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the opposition staged a protest march inside the Parliament complex during which MPs from the INDIA bloc raised slogans about “saving democracy” and displayed copies of the Constitution. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Samajwadi leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav were part of the protest.
The Lok Sabha showcased linguistic diversity on Monday, as the newly-elected MPs took their oaths in English and various Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, and Odia.
Key Highlights from Day 1
– The 18th Lok Sabha’s first day started contentiously on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge clashing over the 1975 Emergency and emphasising the “need to safeguard democracy.”
– In his traditional remarks before the session, Modi highlighted the public’s desire for a responsible opposition, vowing that his government would aim to include everyone and foster consensus.
– Congress member K Suresh, an eight-time MP and a strong contender for the Protem Speaker’s post, along with DMK MP T R Baalu and TMC’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay, did not take their oaths when called to join the panel of chairpersons assisting the pro-tem Speaker. Suresh later took his oath.
– NK Premachandran, an MP from the Revolutionary Socialist Party, announced that the INDIA bloc would nominate candidates for the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker elections amidst disagreements over Bhartruhari Mahtab’s appointment as pro-tem speaker.
– Leaders of the BJP-led NDA criticised opposition MPs for their “Save Constitution” march to Parliament, suggesting that with the elections concluded, the focus should now shift to national progress rather than political disputes.
– During the brief parliamentary session, the Opposition plans to challenge the government on several issues, including “unemployment, inflation, and economic inequality.”
Lok Sabha events scheduled ahead
The elections for the appointment of the new Lok Sabha Speaker will take place on June 26
President Droupadi Murmu will address the joint sitting of both houses on June 27, after which the two houses will discuss and pass the motion of thanks on her address. PM Modi will reply to the discussion in both houses next week.
What’s the relevance of ‘Emergency period’ now?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his pre-Parliament speech, criticised the Congress over the ‘Emergency period,’ referring to it as a “black spot” on democracy when the Constitution was “discarded”.
On June 25, 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, a Congress leader, declared Emergency in India, which led to the suspension of civil liberties, imprisonment of opposition leaders and dissidents, and enforcement of press censorship. The anniversary of the 1975-77 Emergency falls on Tuesday.
Follow all the updates here:
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:47 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: ‘BJP is not discussing with Oppn,’ claims Cong MP K Suresh over Speaker post
Lok Sabha session live updates: Regarding the Lok Sabha Speaker post, Congress MP K Suresh said, “The Speaker should be elected unanimously…According to the tradition of the House, the Speaker is elected unanimously. The BJP is not discussing with the opposition, they have to take the initiative for consensus. Till now they have not taken any initiative for consensus for the post of Speaker. If there is no election for the post of Speaker, then the Deputy Speaker will come to the opposition. The leaders of the INDIA alliance have already made their stand clear.”
The nomination process for the Lok Sabha Speaker post is expected to take place today. The election is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26.
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:42 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: PM Modi shares series of tweets recalling ‘dark days of Emergency’, hits out at Cong
Lok Sabha session live updates: On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used social media platform X to reflect on the ‘dark days of Emergency,’ criticising the Congress party.
“Today is a day to pay homage to all those great men and women who resisted the Emergency. The #DarkDaysOfEmergency remind us of how the Congress Party subverted basic freedoms and trampled over the Constitution of India which every Indian respects greatly,” he said.
“The mindset which led to the imposition of the Emergency is very much alive among the same Party which imposed it. They hide their disdain for the Constitution through their tokenism but the people of India have seen through their antics and that is why they have rejected them time and again,” he added.
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:19 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: Remaining 281 MPs to take oath today
Lok Sabha session live updates: The remaining 281 new members will take their oaths on Tuesday. Among the key leaders who will oath at the Parliament today include Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, Supriya Sule and Kanimozhi.
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:02 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: Who were the INDIA bloc MPs who declined to assist pro-tem Speaker on Day 1?
Lok Sabha session live updates: Congress member K Suresh, an eight-time MP and a prominent contender for the Protem Speaker’s position, along with DMK MP T R Baalu and TMC’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay, did not take their oaths when their names were called among the panel of chairpersons to assist the Protem Speaker. Suresh later took his oath.
The appointment of Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker faced criticism from the Opposition, who argued that the eight-term member K Suresh, a Dalit leader, was overlooked for the temporary post. According to the Congress, Mahtab’s appointment by the BJP deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior member, stating that it is an “established tradition” in the Lok Sabha for the senior-most MP to become the pro-tem Speaker. Full details here
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:49 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: ‘NEET’ slogans by Opposition as Dharmendra Pradhan takes oath
Lok Sabha session live updates: As Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan proceeded to swear in as a Member of Parliament on Monday, Opposition leaders in Parliament staged protests and chanted slogans.
During Dharmendra Pradhan’s oath-taking, leaders of the INDIA bloc taunted the NDA government with cries of “NEET,” highlighting alleged irregularities in the examination’s administration. Dig deeper
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:39 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: Former Union minister Sushma Swaraj’s daughter Bansuri Swaraj sworn in on opening day
Lok Sabha session live updates: First-time MP and daughter of former Union minister Sushma Swaraj, Bansuri Swaraj, also took her oath in Sanskrit.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bansuri Swaraj secured victory by a margin of 78,370 votes in her electoral debut from the New Delhi constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
With a 15-year career as a lawyer, Bansuri, who is carrying forward her late mother’s legacy, faced tight competition with Somnath Bharti of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:27 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut took oath on Day 1
Lok Sabha session live updates: Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who secured her first victory on a BJP ticket from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, was sworn in as a member of Parliament on the inaugural day of the 18th Lok Sabha on Monday.
She defeated Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Ranaut pledged to fulfil her responsibility as an MP to serve the people of her constituency – Mandi, Himachal Pradesh – with utmost dedication.
She also expressed optimism that the opposition would prove to be valuable in Parliament.
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:23 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: Glimpses from President Murmu’s dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:20 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: BJP’s Jharkhand chief says ‘Rahul Gandhi should apologise for his grandmother’s misdeeds’
Lok Sabha session live updates: Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jharkhand chief Babulal Marandi on Monday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that he should apologise for the “misdeeds” of his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Amid the controversy surrounding Bhartruhari Mahtab’s appointment as pro-tem speaker, the Congress leader took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that they were “attacking” the Constitution.
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:07 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: ‘50 years for Emergency period’
Lok Sabha session live updates: On Monday, the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the ‘Emergency period’ during the rule of former PM Indira Gandhi, stating that the new generation of India will never forget that time when the country was turned into a prison. He added that they will resolve to uphold a vibrant democracy so that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again.
On June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister and Congress leader Indira Gandhi, imposed an Emergency in the country, suspending civil liberties, imprisoning opposition leaders and dissidents, and enforcing press censorship.
Countering PM Modi’s remark, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote on X, “You are reminding us of the 50-year-old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of Undeclared Emergency, which was ended by the people.”
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:58 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: President Murmu hosts dinner for PM Modi-led Union Council of Ministers
Lok Sabha session live updates: President Droupadi Murmu hosted a dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday for the Union Council of Ministers, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse were also present at the dinner.
“President Droupadi Murmu hosted a dinner in honour of the Union Council of Ministers, led by Prime Minister @narendramodi, at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” the president’s office said in a post on X.
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:52 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: Cong leader Rahul Gandhi lists 10 issues during 1st 15 days of Modi-govt
Lok Sabha session live updates: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the central government, highlighting 10 issues that transpired within the first 15 days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. Gandhi raised concerns about purported NEET irregularities, the UGC NET paper leak, a West Bengal train accident, water scarcity, etc.
Taking to X, Rahul Gandhi alleged that PM Modi is busy in saving his government and said, “First 15 days of NDA! 1. Horrific train accident; 2. Terrorist attacks in Kashmir 3. The plight of passengers in trains 4. NEET scam; 5. NEET PG cancelled 6. UGC NET paper leak 7. Milk, pulses, gas, tolls and expensive 8. Forests blazing with fire; 9. Water crisis; 10. Deaths due to lack of arrangements during the heat wave.”
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Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:40 AM
Lok Sabha session live updates: 262 newly elected MPs sworn in on opening day
Lok Sabha session live updates: The inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha commenced on a contentious tone on Monday, marked by heated exchanges between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge regarding the imposition of Emergency in 1975, alongside fervent calls to “safeguard democracy.”
During the opening proceedings, 262 newly elected MPs, including PM Modi, took their oaths of office.
