First day of 16th Lok Sabha to transact no work - Homage to Munde

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, June 04, 2014: The first day of the new Lok Sabha will see no business transacted on June 4, as the House will be adjourned for the day after paying tributes to Union Minister Gopinath Munde who died in a road mishap yesterday. In the recent past, there has been no transaction of business on the very first day of a newly-constituted Lok Sabha.

Senior Congress MP Kamal Nath, the Protem Speaker, will preside over the proceedings of the Lok Sabha. He will be administered the oath by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan before the Lower House assembles for the day.  The first thing that will happen in the new 16th  Lok Sabha is a notification constituting the 16th Lok Sabha by Lok Sabha will be proclaimed and Secretary General P Sreedharan. Kamal Nath will then move the obituary reference to Munde.

The members will then observe a two-minute silence as mark of respect to the departed member, the House will adjourn for the day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after the Cabinet meeting to condole Mundes death.

Since, Lok sabha  is to adjourn soon after obituary reference, the oath-taking of new members, MPs cannot take place on June 4.  According to the revised schedule, new members will now take oath on June 5 till late in the night and half day of June 6, Naidu told reporters. During the post lunch session,  on June 6, the election of the Speaker will be taken up.

In a resolution passed by the Cabinet, Munde was described as a "grassroot politician with a mass base and an ardent advocate of democracy. In his untimely demise, the nation has lost an experienced and visionary leader who was held in high esteem across the political spectrum. On behalf of the entire nation, the Cabinet extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family." 

The government will accord a state funeral to Munde at his native Parli in Maharashtra at 4 pm on June 4.  grief is palpable across the nation in the unfortunate and untimely death of BJP Union Minister Gopinath Munde.