68th year of the first sittings of Parliament of India
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
On the occasion of 68th year of the first sittings of Parliament of India, Vice President Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu; Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Om Birla; Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Mr Prahlad Joshi; Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Mr Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Mr V. Muraleedharan today visited the historic Central Hall of Parliament House and Chambers of Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha.
On the occasion, Mr Naidu and Mr Birla discussed about various memories and experiences of the First Sittings of the two Houses.
Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Om Birla congratulated the people on this occasion and observed that today is a momentous day for Indian democracy. Mr Birla said that it was on 13 May 1952, that both Houses of Parliament – Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, held their first sittings after Independence.
Mr Birla underlined the fact that democratic traditions in India have strong roots since ancient times and as such, its democratic institutions have contributed immensely in the task of nation-building. He further said that our Parliament has been playing a pivotal role in realizing the cherished ideals of the Constitution, participatory democracy, social justice and ensuring that citizens get their rightful economic, social, political and cultural rights.
Lok Sabha Speaker also observed that it is a matter of great pride that during the past seven decades, we have surmounted innumerable obstacles and have successfully safeguarded and consolidated our Constitution and the democratic principles of governance. Noting that whenever any challenge has confronted our country in the past, people of our great nation have collectively come together to face it, Mr Birla expressed the hope that with the united efforts of our countrymen, we will be successful in overcoming the COVID-19 epidemic too.
Further, Mr Naidu also briefly recounted the proceedings of the Council of States during its first sitting on May 13, 1952 as below:
I. The first observation in the House was made by the then Secretary S.N. Mukherjee who read out the order of the President of India appointing Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and Mr S.V. Krishna Moorthy Rao before either of whom Members of the Council of States may make and subscribe the oath or affirmation.
II. The first ever observation in the House by the Chairman Dr. S. Radhakrishnan while welcoming the Members was; “May I extend to you all a hearty welcome and express the hope that by our activities we will further the speedy and all-round progress of our people?”
III. 197 Members including 9 women from 16 States made and subscribed the oath or affirmation on the first day of the Council of States.
IV. The first Member to take oath was Mr N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar, the then Minister of Defence who was subsequently appointed the leader of the House.
V. The first woman to take oath was Smt. Pushpalata Das.
VI. Some prominent members who made and subscribed oath or affirmation include; Mr S.V. Krishna Moorthy Rao, Smt. Kunwarani Vijaya Raje, Prof. Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Smt. Violet Alva, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Bal Gangadhar Kher, Mr B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya, Mr P. Sundarayya, Prof. N.G. Ranga, Alladi Krishnaswami (nominated), Hriday Nath Kunzru, Lal Bahadur Shastri (Minister for Railways and Transport), Bhupesh Gupta, Swami Keshavanand, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Radha Kumud Mookerji, Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale and Prof. N.R. Malkani.
VII. The session ran for 19 days from 13.05.1952 to 31.05.1952
5. Later in the day, Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Speaker of Lok Sabha visited the chambers of the two Houses and Central Hall of Parliament. They offered respects to the first Chairman of the Council of States Dr.S.Radhakrishnan.
Edited by Andalib Akhter