SC rejects PIL seeking direction to have Parliament inaugurated by President Murmu

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to the Lok Sabha Secretariat for inauguration of the new Parliament building by President Droupadi Murmu. The bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and P.S. Narasimha said that it is not the court's function to look into the matter.

The PIL was filed by advocate Jaya Sukin, who argued that under Article 79 of the Constitution, the President is the executive head of the country and she should have been invited to inaugurate the new Parliament building. He also said that the President is the first citizen of India and head of the institution of Parliament.

The bench, however, said that it understands why the petition was filed but it is not inclined to entertain it under Article 32 of the Constitution. Article 32 gives individuals the right to approach the top court when they feel they have been deprived of their fundamental rights.

The bench also said that it is not a function of the court to look into the matter of who should inaugurate the new Parliament building. It said that the matter is political in nature and the court cannot interfere in it.

The PIL was filed amid an escalating confrontation between the BJP-led Centre and some 20 Opposition parties over who should inaugurate the new Parliament building. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the building on May 28. Twenty Opposition parties have decided to boycott the ceremony to protest the “sidelining” of the president.