Pratibha to assume charge on July 25 afternoon

New Delhi, July 23: Ms Pratibha Patil will be sworn in as the 13th President of the Republic in the Central Hall of Parliament at 1430 hours on July 25 to become the first woman to hold the highest constitutional office.

Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new President at the ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his cabinet colleagues, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rehman Khan, Governors, Chief Ministers, Heads of Diplomatic Missions, MPs and Principal Civil and Military officers.

According to the swearing-in scehdule finalised by the Home Ministry, outgoing President A P J Abdul Kalam and President-elect Pratibha Patil will arrive in the Central Hall in a ceremonial procession at 1425 hrs.

After the President-elect takes the oath of office, she will be presented a 21- gun salute.

The new President will then deliver an address.

On the conclusion of the ceremony in Central Hall, she will leave for the Rashtrapati Bhavan where an inter-services guard of honour will be given to her, as she will also be the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, in the forecourt. Courtesies will be extended to the outgoing President.

UNI