Govt. offices around Parliament House to be closed in the first half tomorrow

New Delhi, July 24 (ANI): Government offices located in the buildings in and around North Block ad South Block will remain closed in the first half of the day tomorrow in view of the swearing-in ceremony of the new President Pranab Mukherjee.

Mukherjee will be sworn-in at a ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament at 11.30 a.m, because of which there will be traffic restrictions around Parliament House.

The buildings thus covered include South Block, North Block, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan and the hutments around Parliament House.

The Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Members of Council of Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Members of Parliament and Principal Civil and Military Officers of the Government of India will assemble in the Central Hall for the Ceremony.

The President and the President-elect will arrive in the Central Hall in a ceremonial procession.

After the President-elect takes the oath of office in the presence of Chief Justice S H Kapadia, a 21-Gun Salute will be fired. The President will then deliver an address.

On the conclusion of the ceremony in Central Hall, the President will leave for Rashtrapati Bhavan where an inter-services guard of honour will be given to him in the forecourt and courtesies will be extended to the outgoing President. (ANI)