Parliament 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: Lok Sabha adjourned for the day, to resume at 11 am on June 26

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 11 am on Wednesday. The House will resume tomorrow to elect a new Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha members to be present in the House tomorrow, 26th June. The election for the Lok Sabha Speaker is set to take place tomorrow. 

Congress issued a three-line whip to its party MPs in Lok Sabha to remain present in the House on Wednesday, June 25. The election for the Lok Sabha Speaker is set to take place tomorrow. 

Former cricketer and TMC MP Yusuf Pathan took oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Floor leaders of the Opposition bloc, the 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A)', will meet today at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's residence following the announcement of K Suresh as their candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker. The meeting is scheduled for 8 pm at Kharge's residence in Delhi, where the leaders are expected to discuss the upcoming speaker election on June 26.

BJP MP Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar stoked controversy as he said 'Jai Hindu Rashtra, Jai Bharat' during the oath-taking ceremony on the second day of the Parliament session.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took oath as Lok Sabha MP on Tuesday (June 25) and displayed the Constitution in his hand, showing it to both the treasury and Opposition benches. He also said, 'Jai Hind and Jai Samvidhan' after taking the oath. 

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav takes oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi took oath as Member of Parliament today. He was elected from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency defeating BJP candidate Madhavi Latha. 

After the I.N.D.I.A bloc nominated its candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Speaker is not for a party; it is for the functioning of the House, and it is disheartening that Congress has nominated one. "We had a conversation with all the floor leaders of the opposition regarding the post of speaker. The Speaker is not for a party, it is for the functioning of the House. The Speaker is elected unanimously. It is disheartening that Congress has nominated its candidate for Speaker. No election has ever taken place for the post of Speaker. Congress put this condition in place: if they get the post of Deputy Speaker, they will support our candidate for the Speaker's post. This give and take of posts of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker is not right," Rijiju said.

In an unusual incident today, a Member of Parliament from Rajasthan attempted to make a distinctive entrance to Parliament by riding a camel. Security personnel swiftly intervened, preventing the MP from proceeding further onto the premises. The camel ride created a brief spectacle, causing surprise among onlookers and leading to the MP being asked to dismount and adhere to standard entry protocols.

Ahead of the Rajya Sabha session, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made key appointments for its Parliamentary Party. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has been nominated as the leader of the AAP Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha. Additionally, MP Raghav Chadha has been appointed as the deputy leader, and ND Gupta will serve as the chief whip. These appointments were announced in preparation for the upcoming session of the Rajya Sabha.

Sharad Pawar said, "To tell you the truth, I haven't discussed this with anyone. It's always been a practice that the Speaker's post belongs to the ruling party. The Deputy Speaker's post used to go to the opposition, but in the last 10 years of the Modi government, they have not accepted giving the opposition the Deputy Speaker's post despite getting more seats. In our discussions with the India Alliance, I have suggested that the government should conduct the Speaker's election without opposition, there is consensus in opposition. Give this message to the government. Along with this, I have also suggested that the opposition should also get the post of Deputy Speaker. Today this matter may be settled, but I do not know what the final decision will be. I will know after going."

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi voiced strong criticism following the I.N.D.I.A bloc's decision to field K Suresh as a candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post. Gogoi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of inconsistency in his statements, citing recent remarks on consensus-building. He expressed disappointment over the government's reluctance to consider the opposition's demand for the Deputy Speaker's post.

Gogoi affirmed that their decision to nominate Suresh symbolises a larger struggle to defend democracy and uphold the dignity of the House. He emphasized the opposition's vigilance and determination to highlight issues of national importance.

NDA leaders have officially endorsed Om Birla as their candidate for the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha by signing a motion paper in his favor.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan addressed the ongoing contention surrounding the election for the Lok Sabha Speaker. He emphasized that this election is not about any specific party but for the House as a whole. Paswan highlighted the rarity of contested elections for the Speaker post since India's independence.

Paswan criticised the opposition's demand for the Deputy Speaker's post, labeling it as inappropriate. He stressed that the election should transcend party politics. "Even if there will be elections, it is sure that he (Om Birla) will win," Paswan asserted, expressing confidence in the NDA's candidate.

During the ongoing Lok Sabha session, Union Minister and BJP MP Piyush Goyal commented on the INDIA bloc's decision to field K Suresh as a candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post. Goyal condemned the opposition's demand to first decide on the Deputy Speaker before supporting the Speaker candidate.

Goyal stated, “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.”

Congress MP K Suresh on Tuesday filed his nomination as an Opposition candidate for Lok Sabha Speaker post. The development comes moments after the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fielded BJP MP Om Birla as its candidate for the post.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi announced that the Congress party will support the NDA's candidate for Lok Sabha Speaker but emphasised the convention that the Deputy Speaker post should be given to the opposition. Sources revealed that the opposition will not field a candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post after reaching a consensus with the ruling BJP-led NDA. The decision followed efforts by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to build consensus. READ MORE...

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh has raised concerns regarding the decisions of TDP and JDU in the context of the Lok Sabha Speaker nomination. Singh stated, "In my opinion, this is a matter of concern for both the NDA and INDIA alliances. Today, TDP and JDU might not realize it, but the same BJP has toppled governments in 6-7 states. TDP's six Rajya Sabha MPs were absorbed by BJP. If NDA allies still allow BJP to nominate the Speaker, the consequences are foreseeable."

Om Birla, emerging as the likely NDA candidate for the position of Lok Sabha Speaker, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. This meeting comes ahead of the Speaker's election, indicating strong support for Birla's candidacy within the ruling coalition. Birla, who previously served as the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha, is seen as a front-runner for the role in the 18th Lok Sabha as well.

Speculation is rife within political circles as Om Birla, the incumbent Member of Parliament from Kota-Bundi and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is expected to be nominated as the candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Birla's potential candidacy follows deliberations among NDA leaders aiming to finalize their nominee for the prestigious role in the lower house of Parliament.

Ahead of the crucial elections for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha, Union Minister Rajnath Singh has initiated talks with opposition leaders to foster consensus. Simultaneously, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is also actively engaging with opposition counterparts, ANI sources said.

Today marks the final day for filing nominations for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker, with elections scheduled for June 26. The NDA is expected to announce its candidate amidst speculations surrounding previous speaker Om Birla and current pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab as potential contenders. The speaker and deputy speaker have been chosen through consensus between ruling and opposition parties.

After 262 newly elected Members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took oath on Monday, the 18th Lok Sabha session continues today with the remaining 281 MPs scheduled to swear in. Key leaders scheduled to take oath include Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, Supriya Sule, and Kanimozhi. Bhartruhari Mahtab was sworn in as the pro-tem Speaker by President Draupadi Murmu on Monday. Prime Minister Modi addressed the media outside the new Parliament building, emphasizing the government's commitment to inclusivity and consensus-building for national service.

On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released a detailed "report card" showcasing the significant actions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the initial 15 days of his third tenure. Modi assumed office once again after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a majority in the recent Lok Sabha elections, winning 293 seats.

The second day of the 18th Lok Sabha session is set to decide the new Speaker of the House. By 12 PM today, the name of the next Lok Sabha Speaker will be finalised. It is certain that the Speaker will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as NDA allies have committed their support to any BJP nominee. Several names are currently under consideration for this key position. Among the names being considered, Om Birla, the current frontrunner, stands out. Birla, an MP from Kota, Rajasthan, served as the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha. Other names reportedly under consideration by the BJP include Andhra Pradesh BJP President D. Purandeswari, senior BJP leader Radha Mohan Singh, and Bhartruhari Mahtab, who is currently serving as the pro-tem Speaker.