Lok Sabha session highlights: Rahul Gandhi, K Suresh huddle at Kharge's house for Speaker poll

Lok Sabha session live: Commenting on the INDIA bloc's decision to field K Suresh as a candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post, Union Minister and BJP MP Piyush Goyal said, “They said first decide the name for Deputy Speaker then we will support the Speaker candidate. We condemn such politics. A good tradition would have been to choose the Speaker unanimously. The Speaker does not belong to any party or opposition; he belongs to the entire House. Similarly, the Deputy Speaker also does not belong to any party or group; he belongs to the entire House and hence there should be consent of the House. Such conditions that only a particular person or from a particular party should be the Deputy Speaker, do not fit into any tradition of the Lok Sabha.”

Lok Sabha session live: According to opposition leaders, Kondikunal Suresh, who is currently in his eighth term, will stand as the Opposition's nominee for the Speaker's election. Suresh, representing INDIA, has submitted his nomination for the Speaker's position. This marks the first instance of a Speaker's election in the Lok Sabha. Hailing from Kerala, Kondikunal Suresh is recognized as a Dalit leader. Initially, the Opposition intended for him to serve as the deputy speaker. However, due to unsuccessful negotiations between the government and opposition, Suresh is now being fielded as the candidate for Speaker.

Lok Sabha session live: National Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule took oath as the member of the Lower House on Monday.

Three-time MP Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party(SP) from Maharashtra’s Baramati constituency won again by a margin of 1,58,333 votes against her cousin's wife, NCP's Sunetra Pawar, according to ECI.

Lok Sabha session live: Kota MP Om Birla met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, signalling his potential candidacy for the ruling National Democratic Alliance's choice for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post.

Multiple NDA sources have indicated that Birla is expected to be their nominee for the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Sources suggest that the opposition may abstain from nominating its candidate, paving the way for the NDA nominee to be elected unopposed, with the condition of securing the deputy Speaker post.

The nominations for the Speaker post will end by noon today.

Lok Sabha session live: Responding to the INDIA bloc's demand for the deputy Speaker post, Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav remarked, “Everything will be revealed shortly... The Opposition's demand was for the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha to be from the Opposition... Our party shares the same view.”

Lok Sabha session live: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, speaking on the Speaker election, stated, “Today's newspaper reports that PM Modi urged the Opposition to cooperate with the Government constructively. Rajnath Singh contacted Mallikarjun Kharge, requesting support for the Speaker. The entire Opposition agreed to support the Speaker, but the tradition dictates that the Deputy Speaker position should go to the opposition. Rajnath Singh promised to call back Mallikarjun Kharge, but he hasn't done so yet... PM Modi seeks cooperation from the Opposition, yet our leader faces disrespect.”

Rahul Gandhi will take oath as the member of the Lower House today along with the 281 remaining MPs.

Lok Sabha session live: The proceedings on the second day of the 18th Lok Sabha session began at 11 am today, and the remaining newly elected MPs are taking oath to become members of the Lower House.

Lok Sabha session live: According to sources reported by news agency ANI, BJP MP Om Birla is likely the NDA candidate for the Speaker's post in the 18th Lok Sabha. He is expected to submit his nomination at 11:30 am today.

Lok Sabha session live: The opposition is seeking the deputy Speaker's post. If an agreement isn't reached between the government and the opposition, the opposition could nominate a candidate for the Speaker's election. K Suresh is a probable contender.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Regarding the Lok Sabha Speaker post, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang remarks, “It is the responsibility of the Speaker to safeguard the opposition's voice, so we believe that the Speaker should be from the INDIA bloc; otherwise, the Speaker should be from the NDA allies, not from the BJP.”

Lok Sabha session live updates: The second day of the 18th Lok Sabha session is set to commence at 11 am.

- Today, 281 newly elected MPs, including prominent figures like Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav, and National Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, will take their oaths.

- Nominations for the Speaker post are expected to close by noon.

- The central government is reportedly working towards consensus for the Speaker post, engaging in discussions with opposition leaders as part of the effort.

Lok Sabha session live updates: Union ministers and other Lok Sabha MPs are arriving at Parliament before the Day 2 proceedings of the 18th Lok Sabha session. Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Amit Shah were spotted at Parliament.

Nominations for the Speaker post are due this afternoon.

Lok Sabha session live updates: According to sources reported by news agency ANI, Union Minister Rajnath Singh is engaging with opposition leaders to establish consensus for both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions. Additionally, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is also reaching out to opposition leaders for the same purpose.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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).

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.”