Ram Nath Kovind addresses joint session of Parliament, calls simultaneous polls 'need of the hour'

Laying the roadmap of the Narendra Modi government for its second term, President Ram Nath Kovind addressed both the Houses of the Parliament on Thursday. He said empowering every person is the main goal for a 'New India'. AP

As he highlighted the Modi government's achievements in an hour-long address, Kovind pushed for simultaneous elections, saying it is the "need of the hour”. Asserting that the government was moving ahead to create a "strong, secure and inclusive" India, the president said national security was paramount. PTI

Kovind underlined the government's resolve to remove "social evils" of triple talaq and <em>nikah halala</em> to ensure equal rights for women, take forward the campaign against black money and make the zero tolerance policy against corruption more comprehensive and effective. Kovind said that a new industrial policy aimed at promoting growth and creating jobs will be announced. Image Courtesy: Twitter/@PIB_India

Kovind also talked about <em>Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas</em>, One Nation, Simultaneous Elections, steps taken to ensure India’s security, farmers’ welfare, strengthening the federal structure of the country, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and India’s relations with other countries. PTI

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu read out sections of the president's speech in English. Kovind had given his speech in Hindi. PTI