The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will commence on Monday, June 20, 2023, with the ceremonial oath-taking of newly elected members of the Lower House, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to BJP lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as the protem Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
The session is scheduled to culminate on July 3, 2023. During this period, several significant events are anticipated, including the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 26 and President Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on June 27.
The session is expected to witness a spirited exchange between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition INDIA bloc. The INDIA bloc has signaled its intention to challenge the NDA government on a range of pressing issues, including the rising cost of living, food inflation, the recent heatwave-related deaths, and the alleged irregularities in the administration of national-level examinations, such as NEET UG, NEET PG, and UGC NET. These irregularities have sparked protests from students and raised concerns regarding the integrity and efficacy of the exam-conducting bodies.
The 18th Lok Sabha session is noteworthy as it follows the general elections, where the NDA secured a majority with 293 seats, while the INDIA bloc garnered 234 seats, including 99 for the Congress party.
In a significant development, the INDIA bloc MPs have announced their decision to abstain from sitting on the Speaker’s chair during the oath-taking ceremony, in protest against the appointment of the 7-time BJP MP Bhartruhari Mehtab as the Pro-tem Speaker, instead of the 8-time Congress MP K Suresh. They cite a break from tradition in this decision.
