The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre has announced the first session of the newly constituted 16th Lok Sabha from 4-11 June.
President Pranab Mukherjee will address the joint session of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on 9 June.
The Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday, 29 May, that the session would be extended for a day or two if needed. He also announced that the election of the Speaker would be on 6 June.
The Union Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on Thursday and decided to hold the first session of the newly constituted Lok Sabha. Naidu explained that the motion of thanks on the President's address to both Houses of Parliament would be on 10 and 11 of June.
The Rajya Sabha session will commence on 9 June, soon after the President's address. It has also been said that Modi will reply to the debate in both Houses, but a time and date for the same is yet to be worked out.
Naidu met President Mukherjee and discussed about the appointment of protem speaker. Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath has been appointed for the post, who will administer the oath to the newly elected MPs during the session. A panel of senior leaders - Arjun Charan Sethi of BJP, PA Sangma of National People's Party and Biren Singh Engti of Congress among others will assist Nath in administering oath to the MPs.
Naidu said that the party has not yet decided any person for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker. Senior BJP leaders-LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi have been kept at bay by the party while appointing ministers and it is speculated that any one of them may be chosen for the Speaker's post.
The Cabinet meeting did not discuss about dates for budget session, Naidu said. The budget is expected to be presented to the Parliament in early July and the work on budget preparation is said to be going on.
On the appointment of Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha, Naidu said that the government is studying various precedents pertaining to the issue and a decision will be taken soon.
Congress is lobbying to get Opposition Leader's post, despite falling short of the requisite 50 MP seats in the Lok Sabha. The party got only 44 seats in the last elections.
After Congress, J Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is the largest party in the Lok Sabha with 37 seats.
Meanwhile, several union ministers took charge of their portfolios on Thursday. Home Minister Rajanath Singh, Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju, Transportation and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State for Development of North Eastern States VK Singh and others took charge of their departments.
