The first winter session of the newly constituted 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly is scheduled to begin on Monday, marking the formal commencement of legislative business after the recently concluded two-phase Assembly elections.
The five-day session, scheduled from December 1 to December 5, will witness a series of crucial proceedings, starting with the swearing-in of newly elected MLAs and culminating in the election of the new Speaker.
The session opens with the oath-taking ceremony of all 243 MLAs, who will be administered the oath by Pro-tem Speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan had earlier administered the oath of office to Yadav in a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan.
Security arrangements around the Assembly complex in Patna have been intensified, with multiple layers of deployment to manage the large gathering and ensure smooth conduct of proceedings.
Following the oath-taking on Monday, the focus will shift to the election of the Speaker on Tuesday.
The post has drawn considerable political attention, as both major NDA constituents, the BJP and the JD(U), are said to be considering candidates.
The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the ruling coalition, while the JD(U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is the second largest ally with 85 MLAs. Speculation is rife that BJP may stake its claim to the prestigious position, though a consensus candidate could still emerge if negotiations succeed.
On Wednesday, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan will deliver his joint address to both houses, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, at the Central Hall of the Assembly annexe. This address will outline the newly formed NDA government’s agenda and priorities for the upcoming term.
The session comes in the backdrop of a decisive mandate in favour of the NDA. In the two-phase elections held on November 6 and 11, the NDA secured a commanding 202 seats, while the Opposition Mahagathbandhan managed 35 seats, with the RJD winning 25 of them.
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