NEW DELHI, May 25 � Narendra Modi, who led the BJP to an astounding victory in the Lok Sabha polls, will be sworn in as Prime Minister tomorrow in the forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan at a grand function to be attended by foreign dignitaries, including SAARC leaders, reports PTI.
The swearing-in ceremony of the 15th Prime Minister of India will be attended by nearly 3,000 guests, including top leaders from SAARC countries like Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
President Pranab Mukherjee will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the 63-year-old Modi and his Council of Ministers in presence of a host of leaders, including outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi, besides leaders of various other parties and chief ministers of a number of states.
Modi�s mother Hiraben is also expected to attend the ceremony.
Besides Sharif and Rajapaksa, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will be among the foreign dignitaries attending the ceremony.
Bangladesh will be represented by Speaker Shirin Chaudhury as Premier Sheikh Hasina would be travelling to Japan at the time of the swearing-in ceremony.
This is the first time that the heads of states of SAARC nations have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Indian Prime Minister.
A multi-layered security apparatus has been put in place for Narendra Modi�s swearing-in. More than 6,000 security personnel will keep a hawk-eyed vigil even as a ground-to-air security system at par with the one placed during the Republic Day parade has been put in place for the ceremony.
�We have made elaborate security arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony. Prohibitory orders have been put in place in the New Delhi district. Full air defence grid is in place. Any airborne activity including hot air balloons will not be allowed. We are on guard against terror act,� said Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) MK Meena.
The IAF has put in place an air defence system to secure the skies. Anti-aircraft guns have been placed at classified locations. Snipers will be deployed at all high-rise buildings around the high-security area hours before the ceremony begins at 6 pm at the forecourt lawn of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Mobile hit teams, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) have been deployed, besides paramilitary and Delhi Police commandos to secure the area. Dog squad and bomb disposal squads have already sanitised the venue, but the drill will also be repeated several times tomorrow. NSG commandos will be responsible for the inner layer of security.
All buildings like North Block, South Block and defence buildings around Rashtrapati Bhavan will be shut at 1 pm following which they will be sanitised by security agencies and their roof tops will be secured, police said.
