18th Lok Sabha’s First Session Starts Today; Focus on NEET Controversy and Speaker Election

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha is expected to be eventful, with several key issues likely to be raised. These include the election of the Speaker on June 26, discussions on allegations of paper leaks in NEET-UG and UGC-NET, and the controversy surrounding the appointment of the pro-tem Speaker. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to BJP lawmaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Following this, Mahtab will call upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take the oath as a member of the House.

The Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected on June 26, and on June 27, President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to address the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament. This session marks the first gathering of the 18th Lok Sabha following the general elections, which saw the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing 293 seats, the INDIA bloc winning 234, and the Congress holding 99 seats. In the meantime, a meeting for the Newly Elected Congress MPs has been called at the CPP office in Parliament today. The session is expected to be overshadowed by the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi criticizing the BJP and expressing solidarity with the affected students.

Additionally, the appointment of BJP leader Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker has drawn objections from the opposition, who claim that the senior-most member, Congress’ K Suresh, was disregarded by the government. The Congress has strongly opposed the appointment, alleging that it deviates from traditional practices and violates parliamentary customs. They argue that the senior-most member, irrespective of party affiliation, should have been given the opportunity to become the pro-tem Speaker. President Murmu has appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the Speaker Protem in administering the oath to newly-elected members.

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will be held from June 24 to July 3, primarily for the oath/affirmation of newly elected Members. The 264th Session of Rajya Sabha will also commence on June 27 and conclude on July 3. In addition, the Samajwadi Party is set to hold a parliamentary meeting in Delhi, chaired by party National President Akhilesh Yadav. The last session of the 17th Lok Sabha (Budget session) was held between January 31 and February 10, 2024.