President Droupadi Murmu is set to address the joint session of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. This coincides with the start of the 264th Rajya Sabha session on June 27, and the commencement of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha on Monday.
During her address, President Murmu is expected to outline the goals of the newly elected administration led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a ceremonial tradition, President Murmu will be escorted by her security on horseback from Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Parliament, as reported by PTI.
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu arrives at the Parliament. She will address a joint session of both Houses shortly. pic.twitter.com/TiDX8uA7go
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2024
At the Parliament building’s Gaja Dwar, President Droupadi Murmu will be greeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leaders of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. She will then be led to the Lower House chamber, carrying the traditional sceptre known as “Sengol.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced that it will abstain from attending President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of Parliament in protest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s apprehension in the liquor policy case.
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak stated,
“Today, we will boycott the President’s speech and demonstrate against Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in the Rajya Sabha. The President and the Constitution are preeminent, and we should speak out when dictatorship is used in the guise of justice. Our party would boycott the President’s address, but we did not discuss this with the other INDI Alliance parties,” as reported by news agency ANI.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut responded to AAP’s boycott proposal, stating, “The President should stop the government from such practices, as she (President Murmu) is also responsible for the dictatorship in the country.”
Following every Lok Sabha election, the President is mandated by Article 87 of the Constitution to address a joint session of Parliament at the start of the term.
In addition, the President speaks to a joint session of both Houses during the annual first session of Parliament.
President Droupadi Murmu
In the President’s Address, the government provides an overview of its policies and programs, outlines its intentions for the following year, and emphasizes the actions it took the year before.
After the President’s speech, the ruling party will introduce a resolution of thanks in both Houses of Parliament, allowing members to discuss it.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to respond to the discussion surrounding the motion of gratitude on July 2-3.
President Murmu is anticipated to give a summary of the policies implemented by the Modi administration over the past ten years, highlighting accomplishments in various areas such as social welfare, healthcare, education, the economy, and defense.
The opposition is expected to challenge the administration on several issues, including NEET-UG anomalies, UGC-NET cancellations, terror assaults in Jammu and Kashmir, national train accidents, and rising costs for necessities.
In the most recent general elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 293 seats, narrowly missing the party’s expectations of over 400 seats. This result allowed the NDA to maintain its hold on power for a third consecutive term.
