Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will demit office on Saturday after submitting his resignation to President Pranab Mukherjee. The outgoing Prime Minister will also address the nation on the same day and chair the last meeting of his Cabinet to pass a resolution to recommend to the President to dissolve the 15th lok Sabha. The President will later host a dinner for them.
With Singh submitting his resignation after a ten-year-old tenure, the process of formation of new Government will begin as Parliament is likely to be convened in the last week of May after Narendra Modi takes oath as Prime Minister. The term of the 15th lok Sabha ends on May 28 and a short session of Parliament for about seven to eight days will see new MPs taking oath for the 16th lok Sabha besides presentation of Council of Ministers to Parliament by the Prime Minister. The Budget Session of Parliament is likely to begin in July.
“The Prime Minister sought time and the President has given time for 12:45 PM tomorrow (Saturday),” Rashtrapati Bhavan Press Secretary Venu Rajamony said here on Friday. Ahead of the meeting, official sources said Singh will hold a customary meeting of the Union Cabinet to recommend dissolution of the 15th lok Sabha to the President. The resolution for dissolution is expected to be moved by Home Minister Sushilkumar
Shinde,who is also leader of the lok Sabha. After the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath will call on the President recommending dissolution of the House.“The Parliamentary Affairs Minister sought time from the President and he has been given time at 1:15 PM on Saturday,” Rajamony said.