Indian president dissolves outgoing lower house of parliament

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday dissolved the 15th Lok Sabha or Lower House of Parliament, an act of formality for the coming of the new lower house of parliament just elected by the voters into power.

"The President accepted the advice of the Cabinet and today signed the Order dissolving the 15th Lok Sabha in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) Article 85 of the Constitution," Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace press secretary Venu Rajamony told the media.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also resigned Saturday his outgoing Union Cabinet had earlier advised the President to dissolve the 15th Lok Sabha with immediate effect.

The Election Commission is submitting the list of newly elected members of the 16th Lok Sabha to the president, which contains the names of all 543 members of parliament.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a crushing victory in the general election by grasping an absolute majority of 282 seats, while the Congress suffered its worst defeat in history with only 44 seats.

BJP prime minister nominee Narendra Modi is due to swear in in the coming days and form a new central government of India.