This is the first time that Smriti Irani has been given a front row seat in Parliament

Highlights This is the first time Smriti Irani has got front row seat in Parliament

Rahul Gandhi retains his old seat in the second row of Lok Sabha

PM Modi has a reserved corner seat to the right of the Speaker

Union minister Smriti Irani, who made her Lok Sabha debut by defeating Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his constituency Amethi in the national elections, has been assigned a front row seat in the lower house of parliament.

Her colleagues, Home Minister Amit Shah and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad - first time Lok Sabha members as well - will also be in the first row in the house.

Though Mr Shah and Mr Prasad have been in the first row in Rajya Sabha earlier, this will be the first time for Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani in the front row in parliament.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sadanan Gowda, Narendra Singh Tomar, Arjun Munda and Arvind Sawant have also been selected for the first row by Speaker Om Birla.

From the opposition, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav have retained their seats in the front row.

Rahul Gandhi, who lost to Ms Irani in Amethi but won from Wayanad in Kerala, has been allotted his existing seat in the second row in Lok Sabha.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and DMK's TR Baalu will also sit in the front row.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a reserved corner seat to the right of the Speaker. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, considered the senior-most minister in the cabinet, will retain his seat next to the prime minister.

One seat in the front row has been kept vacant for the deputy speaker, who is yet to be elected.