17th LS first session today: budget, triple talaq in focus

Noting that there are many new faces in this Lok Sabha, Modi said the first session of the Lower House of Parliament should begin with “fresh zeal and new thinking”.

The Prime Minister, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress lawmakers Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, K Suresh, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O’Brien were present at the meeting.

The BJP also held its parliamentary party meet here Sunday, with Modi assuring the leaders that his government will be at the forefront of facilitating legislations that manifest the spirit of “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas”. A day before the first session, a meeting of the NDA was also held here. According to sources, Modi told the members that they should display unity at the session. He said the BJP-led NDA had received a massive mandate and it should reflect in the work done by the elected representatives. Modi told the members he would always be available to resolve issues concerning their states. After the meeting of NDA leaders, Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had an almost hour-long one-to-one conversation.

The Lok Sabha will have 30 sittings and the Rajya Sabha 27 sittings between June 17 to July 26. The Modi government had promulgated ten ordinances in its first term after the opposition used its majority in the Rajya Sabha to block the bills in the previous session. The first two days of the session will be used for administering oath of office to all Lok Sabha MPs by Protem Speaker Virender Kumar. Addressing the media after the all-party meeting, Joshi said the prime minister urged leaders of all parties to “introspect whether members of Parliament are able to fulfil people’s aspirations as their representatives and the manner in which last two years of the 16th Lok Sabha were wasted”. Budget will be presented on July 5. An all-party meeting is a customary procedure before the beginning of every session of Parliament to ensure its smooth functioning. Joshi said the government has requested all parties, especially the opposition, for their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both Houses of Parliament.