New Delhi: The Union Cabinet Friday recommended the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha as the Union Council of Ministers tendered their collective resignation, government sources said.
The Cabinet meeting came a day after the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections in which the NDA retained power with a massive mandate.
After the Cabinet's recommendation, President Ram Nath Kovind is now expected to dissolve the present Lok Sabha, the term of which is ending on June 3.
He would also ask the present government to continue till the new government is formed in the coming days.
Later, at a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers, all members of the Council tendered their collective resignation.
Moments after President Ram Nath Kovind accepted resignation of the Union Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while the sun has set on the term of the present government, the brightness of its work will continue to illuminate the lives of people.
The president has asked the Union Council of Ministers to continue till the next government is formed in the next few days.
"The sun sets on this term, but the brightness our work has brought will continue to illuminate the lives of millions. A new dawn awaits, a new term beckons," Modi tweeted.
He said his government is even more determined to fulfil the dreams of 130 crore Indians and create the "New India all of us dreamt of".
Meanwhile, BJP workers from Varanasi Friday handed him the official certificate of election. Modi won the Varanasi constituency by a margin of 4.79 lakh votes, thus retaining the seat.
Feel happy to be representing one of the oldest and most vibrant centres of Indian culture, he tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Modi met officers and staff of the Prime Minister's Office at South Block.
"The prime minister appreciated the efforts and dedication of the entire PMO, over the last five years and urged everyone to rededicate themselves to work even harder to play a key role in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of India.
"He said people have great expectations from the government, and these expectations provide Team PMO with the energy to work to the utmost," an official statement said.
The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before June 3. The process to form a new House will be initiated when the three election commissioners meet the president in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members.
Besides the prime minister, the Union Council of Ministers has 60 members, including cabinet ministers, ministers of state with independent charges and ministers of state.
In the absence of the PM, the Union Council of Ministers passed a resolution praising the leadership of Modi and the work done by the government in the last five years.
The present Modi government had taken oath on May 26, 2014.
