No change of guard ceremony on Saturday due to full dress rehearsal for new President

New Delhi: There will be no change of guard ceremony on Saturday on the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan due to full dress rehearsal for the assumption of office by Droupadi Murmu as the next President, an official statement issued on Friday said.

President Ram Nath Kovind completes his five-year term on Sunday.

Murmu, 64, scripted history on Thursday by becoming India's first tribal President in the one-sided contest, defeating opposition’s candidate Yashwant Sinha.

“The change of guard ceremony will not to be held this Saturday (July 23, 2022) on the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan due to the full dress rehearsal of the assumption of office by the President-elect as the President of India,” said the statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Murmu, who is the first President to be born after independence, would be the youngest to occupy the top Constitutional post. She is also the second woman to become the President after Pratibha Patil.