Preparations are in full swing as President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oaths of office and secrecy to the Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi at the courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhawan after 7 pm on June 9. This marks Modi\u2019s third term as Prime Minister, but for the first time, he will rely on alliance members for a majority in the Lok Sabha.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A party or coalition needs 272 seats to form the government. The BJP secured 240 seats in the Lok Sabha. Parties from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, have won 53 seats. Taken together, the NDA has a strength of 293 \u2013 21 seats more than the 272-mark needed to form the government.<\/p>\n
Article 75 (1A) of the Constitution says the total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Ministers shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the total number of members of the House of the People. The Lok Sabha has strength of 545, of which 2 are nominated by the President from the Anglo-Indian community while remaining 543 are elected by voters. Based on number of elected members, maximum number of Ministers in the Council could be 81 including the PM.<\/p>\n
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\nComposition of the Council
\n<\/h5>\nCap on the strength could pose some challenge to the BJP as all alliance members are expected to press for more and more seats. Many speculations are on about composition of the Council. It is believed that key alliance members such as TDP and JD (U) will have a greater number of Ministers than other parties. It is also expected that top 5 Ministries (Home, Defence, Finance, External Affairs and Surface Transport) might not see any change, while Agriculture, Rural Development, Education, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Women & Child Development, besides some other Ministries may welcome new Ministers.<\/p>\n
\nGlobal leaders
\n<\/h5>\nAccording to reports, around 9,000 guests from all walks of life are expected to witness the ceremony. Among the invitees, padma awardees, rat miners, and sanitary workers will sit along with industrialists and people from various other fields. <\/p>\n
An official statement from External Affairs Ministry said that Sri Lanka\u2019s president Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldives\u2019 Mohamed Muizzu, Bangladesh\u2019s prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhutan\u2019s Tshering Tobgay, Nepal\u2019s Pushpa Kamal Dahal \u2018Prachanda\u2019, and Mauritius\u2019 Pravind Kumar Jugnauth have accepted the invitation to attend the event.<\/p>\n
Seychelles\u2019 Vice-President Ahmed Afif will also be attending the ceremony. \u201cIn addition to participating in the swearing-in ceremony, the leaders will attend a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the same evening,\u201d the statement said. It added that the visit of the leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony is in keeping with the highest priority accorded by India to its \u2018Neighbourhood First\u2019 policy and \u2018SAGAR\u2019 vision.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a multi-layered security with five companies of paramilitary personnel, NSG commandoes, drones and snipers will blanket the Rashtrapati Bhawan swearing-in Delhi Police officials said. They also said that Rashtrapati Bhawan will have a three-layered security both inside and outside the premises. Delhi Police personnel will remain deployed at the outer ring followed by paramilitary personnel and internal security of the President\u2019s house at the inner ring.<\/p>\n
(With inputs from Amiti Sen)<\/i><\/p>\n
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