Chief Minister Amarinder Singh being greeted at the Punjab Assembly in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Ruchika M Khanna and Rajmeet Singh

Tribune New Service

Chandigarh, March 24

Lawmakers of the 15th Vidhan Sabha took oath of office on Friday in a session marked by absence of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was the first to be sworn into the new assembly. Six Aam Aadmi Party and two BJP MLAs were present in the House.

Highlights         2:00 pm: So far only NK Sharma from the Akali Dal seen in the House. Six AAP MLAs and two BJP MLAs present

2:00 pm: Bikram Singh Majithia, Gurpartap Singh Wadala and Ajit Singh Kohar among five others MLAs who have arrived

2:01 pm: Capt Amarinder Singh takes oath.

2:03 pm: Governors gallery brimming with relatives of MLAs.2:03 pm: Oath taking in order of seniority.

2:08 pm: Amarinder Singh shares lighter moments with his MLAs.

2 08 pm: Bains brothers — Simarjit Singh and Balwinder Singh — sit with AAP MLAs.

2:10 pm: Aruna Chaudhary takes oath in English

2:13 pm: HS Phoolka takes oath. Two former MLAs — Lal Singh and Mohd Sadiq — in the governors’ gallery. Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, who abdicated her seat for her brother in law, fatehjung bajwa, also sitting in governors’ gallery.

2:33 pm: Majithia and Amarinder shake hands after former takes oath.

2:34 pm: Most AAP MLAs do not greet the CM.

2:36 pm: Senior Congress MLAs who have not made to the Cabinet, so far, get opportunity to share their view point with Amarinder.

2:39 pm: Parminder Dhindsa greets both Capt and Phoolka. First time MLAs cheered by their family members.

2:47 pm: Sukhpal Singh Khaira only AAP MLA to first greet all on treasury Benches before taking oath.

2:58 pm: Akali Dal deputy leader Ajit Singh Kohar greets all Congress and AAP MLAs.

3:01 pm: Every Congress MLA takes blessing of Amarinder Singh

3:11 pm: Ramanjit Sikki takes oath in English.

3:19 pm: Amarinder Singh leaves the House.

3:20 pm: Navjot Singh Sidhu sits on his seat; being greeted by MLAs taking oath.

3:25 pm: A staff member asks Sidhu to return to his seat.

3:27 pm: Madan Lal Jalalpur takes oath.

3:34 pm: Kultar Singh Sandhwan first touches the ground and then climbs the stairs to take oath. He is an MLA from Kotkapura.

3:51 pm: Amarinder Singh Raja Warring first removes his shoes before taking oath.

4:03 pm: Navjot Sidhu and Simarjit Bains hug after the latter takes oath.

4:05 pm: Kuldip Singh Vaid, Congress MLA who was deputy commissioner under Akali Dal government, greets Bikramjit Singh Majithia before taking oath.