NEED FOR A NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING, NEW DELHI
INTRODUCTION
The New Parliament House in New Delhi is the seat of the Parliament of India. It houses the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. New parliament building is constructed in New Delhi. It is inaugurated on 28 May 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At a distance of 750 meters from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, it is located on Sansad Marg. This article explores about the new Parliament building.
BACKGROUND FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW BUILDING
Early in the 2010s, ideas for a new parliament building to replace the current complex surfaced due to concerns about its stability. Speaker Meira Kumar, who was in office at the time, had formed a committee to develop a number of alternatives to the current structure. The current structure, which is 93 years old, is thought to have structural problems as well as not having enough room to house members and their employees. Despite this, preparations are in place to safeguard the building because it is significant to India’s national heritage.
IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING
- New parliament building is a triangular- shaped four-storey building.
- The built-up area of the new parliament building is 65,000 square metres.
- The time required to complete the construction is 2.5 years.
- The estimated cost to construct the new parliament building is Rs 970 crores.
- New parliament building has 3 times more space than the old parliament building.
- New parliament building has the modern technology.
- Sengol, which is a historic symbol of authority, was installed near the chair of Lok sabha speaker.
- The central hall of the new parliament building has the capacity to accommodate 1,272 MPs for the joint session. It is more than 500 MPs in the old building.
- The hall of Lok sabha is constructed on Peacock theme which is our national bird. It has designs drawn from national’s bird feathers which were craved on the wall and the ceiling. They are complemented by the teal carpets.
- The hall of the Lok sabha will have 888 seats which are up from the existing capacity of 543 seats.
- It has the option to expanding seats upto 1,272 seats.
- The hall of Rajya sabha is constructed on Lotus theme which is our national flower. Along with it, it has red carpets.
- The hall of the Rajya sabha will have 384 seats as opposed to the existing capacity of 250 members.
- The new complex is constructed by the TATA PROJECTS LTD.
- The new parliament building will be having three main gates naming, Shakti Dwar, Gyan Dwar and Karma Dwar.
- The new grand constitutional hall will showcase the India’s democratic heritage.
- The new parliament building will have the superior library, dining areas and the multiple committee rooms.
- There will be modern office spaces and lounge for the members of the parliament.
- The old parliament building will be converted into a museum.
- There were 19 opposition parties including the congress who boycotted the event.
- The new parliament building is constructed using green construction techniques.
- Thye new parliament building is supposed to reduce the electricity consumption by 30%.
- New building of the parliament will have rainwater harvesting systems and water recycling systems.
- Delhi is a seismic zone-V, the new parliament building is primed to be earthquake-safe. The existing parliament house was at risk from the earthquakes.
- The new parliament building is replete with the national emblem that weighs 9,500kg and is 6.5 metres in height.
- At the entrance of the new parliament building, the word ‘Satyameva Jayate’ and Ashoka Chakra has been engraved on the stone.
- The 16 foot-tall bronze statue of Mahatama Gandhi which has been site of gatherings by MPs and photo ops for students, will remain on the lawn between old and new buildings.
HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OLD PARLIAMENT BUILDING
- The search to find a suitable building to House the Central Assembly after Montagu-Chelmsford reforms of 1918 led British British Administrators to use the Secretariat building as the venue for the first legislative assembly.
- Metcalf House was where Council of state held its meetings.
- There were 2 legislative buildings that were constructed to house central legislative assembly. Parliament building in Delhi and a smaller one in Shimla.
- The Himachal Pradesh building was inaugurated in 1925, is now home to the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
- Vithalbhai Patel became first Indian to be elected as President of Central Assembly in the Shimla.
- The Parliament estate has 5 buildings:
- Circular Parliament (1927)
- The Annexe (1975)
- The Library (2002)
- The extension to the Annexe (2017)
- The New Parliament House (2023)
- During 1970s, when the designing the stage of Annexe building, there was a plan to build the subway underneath Talkatora Road and to connect it to Parliament House.
- After the Parliament attack, the section of Talkatora road that has separated the 2 buildings was included within Parliament grounds.
- PM Indira Gandhi approved the proposal. Planners also investigated the feasibility of having a monorail within the subway but the plan never materialised.
- There was demand for the Parliament session in South India.
- Multiple times MPs have raised the issue of holding a session of Parliament in southern part of the country.
- On one occasion, the 400 MPs gave the representation to the government for holding an annual session in Bengaluru.
- A committee of MPs examined the issue and thought that recruiting financial expenditure and administrative difficulties involved made the proposition unviable.
SUPREME COURT DISMISSES PLEA SEEKING INAUGURATION OF NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING BY PRESIDENT MURMU
The Supreme Court rejected a request for guidance from the Lok Sabha secretariat about President Murmu’s inauguration of the new Parliament building. The petitioner claimed that by not inviting the president to the inaugural ceremony, the Union of India was ‘humiliating’ her.
“We know why you file such petitions, we are not inclined to entertain this,” the Supreme Court bench observed.
“Be grateful that we are not imposing costs on you,” the bench said further.
“It is not a function of the court to look into,” a bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and P S Narasimha said, turning down the plea.
The PIL’s author, attorney C R Jaya Sukin, told the bench that no law gives the executive leader the authority to inaugurate the Parliament. The bench asked him to explain how the President’s role in addressing the joint session of Parliament relates to the inauguration as he was citing it.
“You please show us how the address is correlated to inauguration,” Justice Maheswari told the counsel and added, “Nothing to do. It is not a function of the court to look into”.
The counsel said the action to have it inaugurated by the Prime Minister is in “total violation of Article 79” which says that there shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.
“President is the head of the Parliament and should open the building because the head of the executive does not have any jurisdiction over Parliament. Executive head is only a member of Parliament,” he submitted.
ARTICLE 79 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION
Constitution of Parliament There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the council of States and the House of the People.
REASONS FOR THE NEW BUILDING
The need of the new building has arrived because of the lack of space, lack of technology, infrastructural issues and the seating capacity.
- Lack of Space: The existing Delhi Parliament House, constructed during the British era, lacks enough room to house the growing number of Members of Parliament (MPs) and support personnel. Through the provision of a larger and more up-to-date facility, the planned new parliament building sought to alleviate this problem.
- Infrastructure and modernization: The new parliament building was designed to be a cutting-edge institution with cutting-edge amenities. It was anticipated to include cutting-edge technology, greater MP facilities, and more accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
- Increased Seating Capacity: In comparison to the old Parliament House, there was a huge need that the new structure was anticipated to have a larger seating capacity. As opposed to the current capacity of 543 MPs, the suggested design sought to accommodate 888 MPs.
- Triangular Design: A triangle shape was suggested for the new parliament building, signifying the convergence of the legislative, executive, and judicial parts of the Indian government.
- Preservation of the Heritage: The new parliament building was meant to honour India’s rich architectural past while simultaneously providing a modern facility. It is likely that efforts were made to ensure that the new building’s design blended well with the neighbourhood’s architectural style.
CONCLUSION
Parliamentary processes can be streamlined with the help of modern technology, increasing their efficiency, and lowering their administrative responsibilities. Automating procedures like document management, scheduling, and voting with digital tools can save time and boost overall productivity. Through the creation of forums for public input, feedback, and consultation on legislative issues, advanced technology can encourage greater public engagement. Citizens can voice their opinions through online petitions, questionnaires, and interactive platforms, which enhances the representation of many viewpoints.
The New Parliament building to cost around ₹970 crore. As per me it is worth it and is not a wrong investment as the current Parliament House Building was constructed between 1921 and 1927; it is 93 years old and has been designated a grade-I heritage building. Its amenities and facilities fall well short of what the Parliament now requires. There is a severe lack of office space, and members of parliament do not have their own chambers. Due to extensive remodelling over the years and the fact that this structure was not intended for bicameral Parliament, it is now overstressed.
REFERENCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Parliament_House,_New_Delhi
https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1119830/
Article by HARSHIT JAIN
“PRIME LEGAL is a full-service law firm that has won a National Award and has more than 20 years of experience in an array of sectors and practice areas. Prime legal fall into a category of best law firm, best lawyer, best family lawyer, best divorce lawyer, best divorce law firm, best criminal lawyer, best criminal law firm, best consumer lawyer, best civil lawyer.”