President of India should inaugurate new Parliament building, says PIL filed in Supreme Court

The new Parliament building inauguration row has now reached the doorsteps of the Supreme Court. A PIL moved in the apex court has sought directions to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Central government  that the inauguration be done at the hands of the President of India. 

The PIL, filed by Supreme Court lawyer CR Jaya Sukin, stated that the Lok Sabha Secretariat violated the Constitution by not inviting the President for the inauguration. 

"Parliament is the supreme legislative body of India. Parliament consists of the President and the two Houses -- the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha," the petition said. 

It further said the President has the power to summon and prorogue either House. "The President has the power to dissolve the Parliament or the Lok Sabha," the plea stated. 

The petition argued that the Central government did not invite the President to the inauguration ceremony, which was “inappropriate”. 

“The President is an integral part of the Parliament. Why was the President kept away from the foundation stone laying ceremony? Now the President is not invited to the inauguration ceremony. This decision of the government is not appropriate,” the plea said. 

New Parliament Building opening 

The New Parliament Building is scheduled to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Sunday. Last week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met PM Modi and invited him to inaugurate the New Parliament Building. 

A Lok Sabha release said that construction of the New Parliament Building in the national capital has been completed and it symbolises the spirit of self-reliant India. 

"The lack of space was being experienced in the current building as per the present requirements. In both the Houses, there was also a lack of convenient arrangements for the sitting of the MPs which was affecting the efficiency of the work of the members," the release said. 

Following this, as many as 20 parties including Congress, CPI, AAP and Trinamool Congress have announced that they would boycott the event. 

In a joint statement, Opposition parties said, “The inauguration of a new Parliament building is a momentous occasion. Despite our belief that the government is threatening democracy, and our disapproval of the autocratic manner in which the new Parliament was built, we were open to sinking our differences and marking this occasion. However, Prime Minister Modi’s decision to inaugurate the new Parliament building by himself, completely sidelining President Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy which demands a commensurate response." 

The parties which signed the statement and have decided to boycott the opening are: Congress; Trinamool Congress (TMC); DMK; Janata Dal (United); Aam Aadmi Party (AAP); Nationalist Congress Party (NCP); Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray); Communist Party of India (Marxist); Samajwadi Party (SP); Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD); Communist Party of India (CPI); Muslim League; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM); National Conference; Kerala Congress (M); Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP);  Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK); Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK); and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

Separately, AIMIM has also said it would not attend. Together, these parties have 242 MPs in both the Houses of Parliament. 

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