PIL Filed In Supreme Court Seeks President's Inauguration Of New Parliament Building

A PIL was filed on Thursday (25 May) in the Supreme Court, demanding that the President of India should inaugurate the new Parliament building.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat's failure to invite the President for the inauguration violated the Constitution, the petitioner also contended.

PM Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday (28 May), after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla invited him to do so last Thursday (18 May).

The current Parliament building, completed in 1927, is nearing its centennial.

According to a Lok Sabha statement, there was a "lack of space... 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.

As for the inauguration of the new building, the Centre has invited Parliament members, ministers, secretaries, chief ministers, and Union territory administrators to the event.

However, 20 political parties, including the Congress, CPI, AAP, and Trinamool Congress, have declared their intention to boycott the event.

The opposition took offence, as per a statement, to the Prime Minister inaugurating the new building "by himself, completely sidelining President Murmu" and said "this undignified act" was "not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy..."

The BJP-led NDA government has condemned the opposition's inauguration boycott, calling it a "blatant affront to democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation."