Parliament Session highlights: Both Houses adjourned for the day

President Droupadi Murmu says "A stable government with a complete majority has been formed in the country after six decades. People have shown trust in this Govt for the third time. People are aware that only this Govt can fulfil their aspirations...The 18th Lok Sabha is a historic Lok Sabha in many ways. This Lok Sabha was formed in the early years of the Amrit Kaal. This Lok Sabha will also be a witness to the 56th year of adoption of the Constitution of the country...In the upcoming sessions, this government is going to present the first budget of this term. This budget will be an effective document of the government's far-reaching policies and futuristic vision. Along with big economic and social decisions, many historic steps will also be seen in this budget..."

President Droupadi Murmu says, "On behalf of crores of countrymen, I would like to express gratitude Election Commission of India. This was the biggest election in the world...Decades-long records of voting have been broken in J&K. For the past 4 decades, Kashmir witnessed low voting amid shutdowns and strikes. India's enemies propagated it as the opinion of Kashmir, on international forums. But this time, Kashmir valley gave a befitting reply to all such forces..."

Government is working towards making India the third-largest economy in the world, says President Droupadi Murmu

"I congratulate all the newly-elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha. You all have come here by winning the trust of country's voters. Very few get this opportunity to serve the nation and the people. I have full faith that you would fulfill your duties with a feeling of nation first," says President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint session of Parliament.

President Murmu addresses joint sitting, congratulates all newly-elected MPs

President Droupadi Murmu arrives at the Parliament. She will address a joint session of both Houses shortly. President Droupadi Murmu being accorded the Guard of Honour upon her arrival at the Parliament. She will address a joint session of both Houses shortly.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs Thursday protested outside Parliament against the arrest of Delhi CM and party leader Arvind Kejriwal by the CBI in connection with the excise policy case.

Led by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, the members shouted slogans like "taanashaahi nahi chalegi (dictatorship won't be tolerated)", "Kejriwal ko riha karo (release Kejriwal)" and "Pradhan Mantri jawab do (PM should answer)."

Delegates from various nations arrive at the Parliament ahead of the President's address to a joint session of both Houses.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh says "I express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar for withdrawing my suspension. Today the proceedings of the House will also begin in Rajya Sabha and President Droupadi Murmu is inaugurating the session. You all know what is happening to us, how the elected CM has been kept in jail and how he was arrested by CBI yesterday...We will definitely boycott the President's address because this is not the President's own statement, rather she reads the government's statement. She reads the written speeches of the government. So that is why we will boycott the President's address..."

President Droupadi Murmu leaves from Rashtrapati Bhavan for Parliament. She will be addressing the joint session of Parliament shortly.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP RK Chaudhary triggered a controversy by demanding the removal of the sacred 'Sengol' from the Lok Sabha, claiming it as a 'Raja Ka danda' (the king's stick) or an anachronistic symbol of monarchy in democracy. He further said that the Sengol should be replaced by a large replica of the Constitution in the Parliament.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Om Birla has been elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha through a voice vote after Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved the motion in the House. He is as an MP from Rajasthan's Kota Lok Sabha constituency. He was first elected as an MP in 2014. After the Congress’s Balram Jakhar in 1985, the Kota parliamentarian became the first speaker in 39 years to get re-elected to the Lok Sabha’s highest office. Read more

On SP MP RK Chaudhary's 'Sengol' means 'Raja ka Danda' remark, BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla says, "The Samajwadi Party has opposed Sengol in Parliament. It says that it is 'Raja ka Dand', if it was 'Raja ka Dand', why did Jawaharlal Nehru accept the Sengol? This shows the mindset of the Samajwadi Party. First, they attack and abuse Ramcharitmanas, now Sengol, which is part of Indian and Tamil culture. Does DMK support this kind of insult of Sengol, they must clarify. The question is that the mindset to reduce Sengol to a walking stick for decades has once again come in the form of Samajwadi Party. They do not respect Indian culture, they do not respect Tamil culture, and therefore they are again insulting Sengol. The DMK must take a stand on this."

There was no Deputy Speaker for the entire duration of the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24). However, with its numbers up, the Opposition has been contending that it get the Deputy Speaker's post in accordance with the contention.

While there's no official word yet, there has been speculation that the post could go to an ally in the ruling NDA.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Members of Parliament from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), who are partners with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the National Democratic Alliance government.

The Prime Minister said that both their parties are working together at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh where the TDP-BJP-JanaSena combine is in power.

"Met MP colleagues from @JaiTDP. Our Parties are working closely at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh under the leadership of my friend @ncbn Garu. We will do everything possible for the progress of India and the development of AP," PM Modi said in a post on 'X'.

The TDP-BJP-Janasena Party alliance registered a landslide victory in the Andhra Pradesh assembly as well as in parliamentary elections. TDP has 135 MLAs in the Andhra Pradesh assembly while Janasena Party has 21 and BJP eight. The opposition YSR Congress Party has 11 MLAs.

AAP MP Sandeep Pathak says "Today we will protest in the Rajya Sabha against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and we will boycott the President's address. The President and the Constitution are supreme and when dictatorship is done in the name of justice, it is important to raise our voices. We did not have a discussion with the remaining parties of the INDIA alliance regarding this but our party will boycott the President's address."

The Lok Sabha did not have a Leader of Opposition for the last 10 years because no Opposition party had members equalling one-tenth of the total Lok Sabha strength, a prerequisite for qualifying for the post.

What does a Leader of Opposition do? An official 2012 booklet on Parliament says that the parliamentary system is based on “mutual forbearance”, the LoP lets the Prime Minister govern and is, in turn, permitted to oppose

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has asserted the recent Lok Sabha poll results point to the fact that India is not a ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

He also expressed displeasure that keeping people behind bars “without trial" has continued in the country since the British rule and it is more in practice under the BJP government in comparison to the Congress regime.

"That India is not a Hindu Rashtra only has been reflected in the election results," Sen told a Bengali news channel at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here.

The 90-year-old economist arrived in Kolkata from the US on Wednesday evening.

Zero FIR, registration of police complaints online, summons through electronic modes and mandatory videography of crime scenes of all heinous crimes are the key highlights of the three new criminal laws that will come into effect from July 1.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 mark a significant step towards empowering Indian citizens and aim to create a more accessible, supportive and efficient justice system for everyone, official sources said.

The new laws, enacted late last year, are set to replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act respectively.

Under the new laws, a person can now report incidents by electronic communication, without the need to physically visit a police station. This allows for easier and quicker reporting, facilitating prompt action by the police, the sources said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday condemned the imposition of Emergency in 1975 and described it as a “dark day in the history” of the country, setting off a political firestorm during the first session of the House as Congress members shouted slogans and termed the remarks “unfortunate”. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members welcomed the speaker’s reference to Emergency, opposition members condemned the reference, prompting Birla to adjourn the House. Read more

According to the information, President Droupadi Murmu will be received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha at the Gaja Dwar of the Parliament building from where she will be escorted to the Lower House chamber with the traditional sceptre 'Sengol' in the lead.

According to Article 87 of the Constitution, at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.

Uttar Pradesh Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaiveer Singh on Wednesday criticised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for his "Jai Palestine" slogan during his oath-taking as a Member of Lok Sabha and said that Hyderabad MP should show respect towards his country and should have said Bharat Mata ki Jai and Hindustan ki Jai to express loyalty towards the country he lives in.

He also said that Owaisi would live in India, eat Indian food and then raise slogans for Palestine.

He emphasised the importance of loyalty to one's country regardless of religion or caste, stating, "One should respect the country they live in. If you want to say something, say Bharat Mata ki Jai, say Hindustan ki Jai."

"He always tries to create a new controversial statement. He will live in India, eat Indian food...and then raise the slogans of Palestine Zindabad. I think that one should be loyal to the country in which he is, no matter which religion it belongs to. Or whatever caste he belongs to, he should not forget the respect of his country..If you want to say something, say Bharat Mata ki Jai, say Hindustan ki Jai," Singh told ANI.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), chose to maintain suspense over the appointment of the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha. Soon after NDA’s nominee Om Birla was re-elected as the Speaker on Wednesday, the focus shifted to the stand-off between the government and the opposition over the deputy Speaker’s post. Read more

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday reappointed Sam Pitroda as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, weeks after he resigned from the post following some controversial remarks in the middle of Lok Sabha elections which the BJP termed as "racist".

Pitroda, who is considered a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, resigned from the post on May 8, and his resignation was accepted by the Congress chief.

"Congress president has reappointed Sam Pitroda as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress with immediate effect," AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said in a statement.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that Pitroda was reappointed Indian Overseas Congress chief after he clarified the context in which the controversial statements were made.

Om Birla was elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker for the second time in a row after the motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was adopted by the House through a voice vote on Wednesday.

On his re-election to the House, Birla thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders of parties in the House and Members of Parliament for their support.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi congratulated Om Birla on his re-election and said that the Lok Sabha Speaker is the final arbiter of the voice of the people, and the Opposition this time represents that voice significantly more than the 17th Lok Sabha.

"I would like to congratulate you for the successful election that you have been elected for the second time. I would like to congratulate you on behalf of the entire Opposition and the INDIA alliance," Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi also assured the Speaker on behalf of the entire opposition of assisting the speaker in the functioning of the House.