All set at Rashtrapati Bhavan: Red carpet rolled out for 9,000 guests, heads of State

Since there were complaints regarding unavailability of cold water during the 2019 swearing-in ceremony, rows of water fridges and mist fans have been installed this time keeping in mind the heatwave. The guests are supposed to remain seated for around four hours due to security protocol and VIP arrivals.

Each distinguished guest will be accompanied by ministerial colleagues and family members, who will be accorded a prime place as per protocol. The leaders will also attend a special banquet which will be hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan later in the evening.

Cabinet ministers, who will also be sworn in after the PM, will also be seated on priority. Senior BJP, NDA leaders and diplomats from various countries, who have been invited, will witness the event from the front rows.

Interestingly, there are likely to be several special invitees, including shramjeevis who have contributed to the construction of the New Parliament Building or other prime projects. Surekha Yadav, the first woman loco pilot of the Vande Bharat Express is among the 10 loco pilots invited for the ceremony. According to sources, representatives of the transgender community and beneficiaries of various central government’s welfare schemes are also likely to attend the event.

According to sources, the scale of the event is more or less the same as that in 2019 when leaders of BIMSTEC countries attended Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. In 2014, when Modi took oath as the PM for the first time, SAARC leaders had attended the ceremony.

The President’s office communique Friday said, “The President will administer the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the Prime Minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers on June 09, 2024 at 07.15 pm at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” it said. The announcement came hours after Modi addressed the reporters from forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

In view of the preparations, the Change of Guard Ceremony was not held on June 8. It will not be held for next two weeks — June 15 and June 22 — as the President will be addressing both the Houses of Parliament, the communique said. The first Parliament session for the 18th Lok Sabha is likely to start on June 24.