New Delhi, August 14: The constitutional institutions of Lutyens' Delhi was lit up on Friday evening as the nation geared up to celebrate Independence Day 2020. The most iconic event of the I-Day each year remains the program at Red Fort, which includes the speech of Prime Minister. The incumbent PM, Narendra Modi, would be delivering his seventh consecutive speech from the ramparts of Red Fort. Independence Day 2020: Rashtrapati Bhavan, CSMT, Parliament Illuminates in Tricolour on I-Day Eve, See Pics.

When and Where to Watch PM Modi's Speech Live?

The address of Prime Minister is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am in the morning, from the ramparts of Red Fort in Old Delhi. The speech could be watched live on state broadcasters DD News, DD National, Lok Sabha TV, Rajya Sabha TV as well as on the private news channels.

The social media handles of Press Information Bureau (PIB) would also broadcast the speech live. The same would also be available on the YouTube channel of Narendra Modi.

Schedule of The Red Fort Program Schedule and Guests Invited

The live broadcast from the Red Fort will begin at 6:25 am on the state broadcasters. The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive at the foreground of the iconic structure at 7:21 am. He would reach the ramparts by 7:30 am and unfurl the national flag.

After unfurling the tricolour, Modi would begin his address to the nation. His speech, according to reports citing sources, could last from 45 to 90 minutes.

After the speech, the PM would be accorded a guard of honour by soldiers officers of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. A total of 22 defence personnel would be part of the exercise, including only those who tested negative for COVID-19.

The list of guests invited this year for the Independence Day event is severely curtailed as compared to the preceding years. Far from 500 and 300 guests invited to be seated in two of the columns facing the ramparts of Red Fort, the numbers this year was curtailed to 60 on each sides. The list includes plasma donors and frontline corona warriors, said reports.

Top Union Ministers including Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh would be present at the ramparts of Red Fort. Other Ministers would be seated in a separate enclosure below the ramparts. Senior most bureaucrats, judges of High Court and Supreme Court are also invited. However, no school children would be part of the event this year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2020 10:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).