Jaipur : The first session of Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections will begin today, in which newly elected MPs including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath. President Draupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office to BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Protem Speaker. After this, the first person to take oath as a member of the House will be the Prime Minister. About 280 newly elected MPs will take oath today, while the remaining 264 MPs including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will take oath tomorrow. The appointment of seven-time MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Protem Speaker is likely to raise controversy. The post of Protem Speaker is temporary and is traditionally given to the most senior member of Parliament. Congress has opposed Mahtab being made the Protem Speaker. Congress says that the most senior member of the House is Dalit leader and eight-time MP from Kerala Kodikunnil Suresh. But he has been ignored.
Lok Sabha Speaker’s election on June 26
The Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected on June 26. Until a new Speaker is elected, the Protem Speaker presides over the first few sessions of the Lok Sabha and conducts elections for the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce the name of the new Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday, two days after the first meeting of the newly elected 18th Lok Sabha. The Speaker is elected by a simple majority. The post of Protem Speaker is temporary and is traditionally given to the most senior member of Parliament. The Congress has opposed this. The Congress says that the most senior member of the House is Dalit leader and eight-time MP from Kerala Kodikunnil Suresh. But he has been ignored.
Opposition can raise the issue of paper leak
There may also be uproar in the first session of Parliament. The opposition may raise the issue of alleged irregularities in the competitive exams NEET and NET. Amid the growing controversy, the Center on Saturday removed NTA Director General Subodh Singh and formed a seven-member panel to review the functioning of the agency and recommend examination reforms. Congress held protests across the country last week over the irregularities in the examination and has also demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that he would raise the issue in Parliament and the opposition would put pressure on the government to ensure justice for the students.
