President arrives in parliament

President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday arrived in parliament to deliver his address to the two houses at the start of the budget session.

Speaker Meira Kumar and Vice President Hamid Ansari walked ahead of the president in the ceremonial procession that included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath.

According to former Lok Sabha secretary general Subash Kashyap, the first parliament session of the calendar year is addressed by the president.

"The rules say that president addresses the first session of the year or the first session after the general elections. Since budget session happens to be the first session, he addresses members of the two houses assembled together at the start of the session," Kashyap told IANS.

Mukherjee assumed office of president in July last year and it will be his first address to the members of the two houses for budget session.