Narendra Modi first to take oath as Member of Parliament; Sonia Gandhi, LK Advani sworn in

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday was the first Member of the 16th Lok Sabha to take oath of allegiance. He was asked to take his oath by the Lok Sabha's Pro-Tem Speaker, Kamla Nath.

Modi, who took his oath in Hindi, swore allegiance in the name of the Almighty and the Constitution, and promised to defend and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation and its people. He also promised to discharge the duties that he was about to enter into as a member of the Lower House of the Indian Parliament.

Modi then signed the register. He was then followed by senior BJP leader L.K.Advani and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who also took their oath of allegiance in Hindi.

After signing the register, Advani offered his salutations to the senior leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, sitting in the front row of the tresury benches of the House.

The Lok Sabha Secretary General then took over from Pro-Tem Speaker Kamal Nath in the conducting the remainder of the oath-taking ceremony. 315 of MPs who will take oath today have been elected for the first time. The total strength of the House is 543.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh was first of the Cabinet Ministers to take oath, followed by Sushma Swaraj, who used Sanskrit language to be sworn in. Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda took the oath in his mother tongue Kannada.

The ministers of state will be sworn in after their senior ministers. They will be followed by members from various states and union territories, in alphabetical order.