President Pranab Mukherjee dissolves 15th Lok Sabha

New Delhi, May 18: President

dissolved the 15th Lok Sabha with immediate effect on Sunday, completing a formality before the constitution of the new House.

"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," said Rashtrapati Bhavan Press Secretary Venu Rajamony.

The 16th Lok Sabha will be headed by the BJP after it acquired a massive mandate

The outgoing Union Cabinet, in its last meeting on Saturday under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had advised the President to dissolve the 15th Lok Sabha with immediate effect.

After this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath had called upon the President and handed over a decision of Cabinet with the recommendation.

The BJP secured majority on its own in the elections for the 16th Lok Sabha by winning 282 seats where as Congress could bag only 44.

A three-member Election Commission team headed by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath will now be submitting the list of 543 newly elected members to the President.

PTI