List of portfolios to be released by Thursday evening

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh soon after returning from the swearing in ceremony despatched the list of portfolios to be allocated to his Council of Ministers. The list is now being processed by the Presidential Secretariat. The list is likely to be released to the media later in the day. The list of portfolios will be released once President Prathibha Patil accepts the recommendations of the prime minister.

For the first time, the seating arrangements in Ashoka Hall, were numbered and this was indicated on the invitation. Seating position were mentioned on the invitation.The President Secretariat did a meticulous job in planning the seating arrangements. Teh President herself is said to have taken a keen interest in the details. The seating arrangements were finalised after the acceptances were received by the Presidential Secretariat.

There were open criticism of the seating arrangements at the previous swearing in ceremony, where  Samajwadi party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh both were made to sit in the back. The SP had conveyed this point to the Presidential Secratariat.