Special sittings today to mark 60 yrs of Parliament

                                                                            
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, holding special sittings on Sunday, will focus on the 'sixty years journey of Indian Parliament' as they celebrate 60th anniversary of its first session.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will initiate the debate in the Rajya Sabha while Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will do it in the Lok Sabha.

Singh and Mukherjee are the Leaders of the two Houses.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who is the moving spirit behind the idea, would make the opening remarks from the Chair to mark the special day of the largest parliamentary democracy in the world.

Besides prominent members from all sides, independents are also being accomodated in the over five-hour discussion.

A few living members of the first Lok Sabha, including Reishang Keishing and Resham Lal Jangde, will be honoured on the ocassion.

91-year-old Reishang Keishing, now a member of the Rajya Sabha, was member of the first and third Lok Sabhas. Jangde was member of first, second and ninth Lok Sabhas.

Both the Houses of Parliament will meet at 11.00 am and will conclude the discussions at 4.30 pm.

In the evening, President Pratibha Patil will address a joint sitting of both Houses in the Central Hall. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister and Kumar will also address the joint sitting.

Patil will release coins of Rs 5 and Rs 10 denomination to mark the occasion along with a special stamp.

The President will release three books -- Members' Introduction: First Lok Sabha; Speakers of Lok Sabha and '60 years of the Lok Sabha: An Analysis' on the ocassion. The books are published by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Patil will also release five other books 'Selected Speeches of Women Members of the Constituent Assembly', 'Welcome Respected Chairman', '60 years of the Rajya Sabha', 'Computerisation of the Rajya Sabha: An Overview' and 'Nominated Members of the Rajya Sabha'.

A cultural programme featuring Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Sitarist Debu Chaudhuri, Carnatic vocalist Maharajapuram Ramachandran, versatile singer Shubha Mudgal and Iqbal Khan will light up the evening.
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