Members of the 16th Lok Sabha were elected during the 2014 Indian general election. The elections were conducted in 9 phases from 7 April 2014 to 12 May 2014 by the Election Commission of India. The results of the election were declared on 16 May 2014. The Bharatiya Janata Party (of the NDA) achieved an absolute majority with 282 seats out of 543. Its PM candidate Narendra Modi took office on 26 May 2014 as the 15th prime minister of independent India. The first session was scheduled to be convened from June 4 to June 11, 2014. There is no leader of the opposition in the 16th Lok Sabha as the Indian Parliament rules state that a party in the Lok Sabha must have at least 10% of total seats (545) in order to be considered the opposition party. The Indian National Congress (of the UPA) could only manage 44 seats while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party from Tamil Nadu came a close third with 37 seats. Mallikarjun Kharge has been declared the leader of the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha.