Singh calls for new beginning as Indian parliament begins session

New Delhi - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday called for a 'new beginning' at the opening session of the new Parliament, when the Congress Party-led coalition was to unveil its policy imperatives after winning the recent national elections. Singh, at the head of the United Progressive Alliance government which is beginning its second term, sounded optimistic as new members assembled at the Parliament House. 'I sincerely hope we will make a new beginning and that parliament will be allowed to run smoothly - that dialogue, discussion and reason will prevail in our proceedings,' Singh said. 'We will give all due respect to the opposition in discharging their responsibilities.' Singh is expected to have a free hand in implementing policies and reforms without much pressure from party allies as Congress notched up its best performance in almost two decades, winning 206 seats, up from 145 in the 2004 elections. The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party could manage only 116 compared to 138 seats in the previous election. After the swearing-in concludes Tuesday, 64-year-old Congress leader Meira Kumar, who belongs to the Dalit or so-called low caste, will become the first woman to be elected speaker of the Lok Sabha or lower house on Wednesday. The session will have seven sittings and is due to conclude on June 9. Thursday is considered an important day when the government will unveil its agenda for the year in the Presidential Address. Singh's cabinet has already finalized President Pratibha Patil's speech which is expected to spell out the policies and plans of the Congress party and its allies. The address is expected to focus on Singh government's moves to strengthen welfare schemes and boost the economy. Soon after the election, Singh drew up a 100-day action plan for his government and emphasized its top priority would be economic revival and inclusive growth. Among other issues that will figure prominently in the address are strengthening of Congress' flagship social sector initiatives like the rural employment guarantee programme. There will be a debate June 5, 8 and 9 on the president's address. The government is likely to present its budget in the first week of July in the next session. After results of the five-stage polls were declared last month, Singh said the Congress had far surpassed the majority figure of 272 in the 545-member house as it had the backing of 322 members. A total of 543 of the Lok Sabha's 545 members are directly elected by popular vote to represent individual constituencies for five-year terms. Two members are yet to be nominated to the house from the Anglo-Indian community. The Rajya Sabha has 245 members serving staggered six-year terms. Most members are elected indirectly by the state and territorial legislatures in proportion to the state's population. The number of women elected to the Lok Sabha increased this time around, as well as members with criminal records. According to government data, there are 59 women representatives, the highest number ever, 14 more than the previous Parliament. Association of Democratic Reforms, a voluntary organization which works on electoral reforms, said there are about 150 members with criminal records, 22 more than the last time. Ram Sundar Das is the oldest member, from the eastern state of Bihar, at 88 years. Mohammed Hamdulla Sayeed, a lawmaker from India's island territory of Lakshadweep, is the youngest at 26.