President Droupadi Murmu is set to address the joint sitting of the 18th Parliament on Thursday, June 27. During her address, she is expected to outline the priorities of the newly-elected government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The President's address to the joint sitting of Parliament will also be her first following the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. The inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on Monday (June 24), while the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha is set to commence on June 27. On the day of her address, the President will arrive at Parliament in a procession from the Rashtrapati Bhawan, escorted by horse-mounted presidential bodyguards.
President's joint session address protocol
According to the information, she will be received by Prime Minister 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, the President is required to address a joint session of Parliament at the beginning of the session after each Lok Sabha election. The President also addresses a joint sitting of both Houses in the first session of the Parliament every year.
The government outlines its programmes and policies through the President’s address. It also highlights the steps taken by the government the previous year and spells out priorities for the upcoming year. Following the President's address, the ruling party will move a motion of thanks in both Houses of the Parliament which will be debated by members.
PM Modi to address Parlimanmet on July 2-3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to respond to the debate on the motion of thanks on July 2-3. In her address, President Droupadi Murmu is expected to provide a comprehensive overview of the central government’s policies over the past decade, highlighting achievements across various sectors such as the economy, defence, healthcare, education, and social welfare.
Opposition gears up to challenge govt in Parliament
Meanwhile, a resurgent Opposition is preparing to challenge the government on multiple fronts, including NEET-UG irregularities, the cancellation of UGC-NET, terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, train accidents, and rising prices of essential commodities. In the recent general elections, the BJP-led NDA secured power for a third consecutive term, winning 293 seats. This result fell short of the BJP's expectations, as they had hoped to secure over 400 seats for the ruling alliance.
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