A major turnaround was etched in the country’s history on May 28 with the inauguration of the new Parliament Building. The old Parliament House in Bharat which was a work by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, was a colonial-era building that underwent six years of construction from 1921 to 1927. Initially named the Council House, it acted as the home for the Imperial Legislative Council. Hence, the need for a new Bharatiya Parliament building was long overdue.
The government data indicates that the old building has narrow seating space for Members of Parliament, distressed infrastructure, obsolete communication structures, safety concerns and inadequate workspace for employees. The building’s structure is a cause for concern as the present Parliament building was constructed at a time when Delhi was categorised as Seismic Zone-II. But, per the current seismic classification, the area is Seismic Zone IV.
The Lok Sabha Hall presently stands at a capacity of up to 888 seats and the enlarged Rajya Sabha Hall can accommodate up to 384 members. This expansion facilitates joint sessions of Parliament to convene with a combined capacity of up to 1,272 seats, ensuring a more inclusive assembly during such sessions.
The House proceedings commenced on September 19 when PM Modi led the walkathon of MPs from the old building to the latest Parliament building. PM Modi in his inaugural speech highlighted the newness of it all.
“Everything is new and in this, there is also a symbol of a great legacy which connects the past and the present. It’s not something new; it’s old. It is a witness to the first rays of freedom which are present among us even now. It is a connection to our rich history. And as we enter the new Parliament, it will inspire future generations. It is the sacred Sengol which was first received by Pandit Nehru, the country’s first Prime Minister, where he performed the ritual and initiated the celebration of independence,” he said.
“Therefore, this very important past is connected with this Sengol. It is a symbol of Tamil Nadu’s great tradition, which symbolises the unity of the nation. And today, the Sengol which adorned the hands of Pandit Nehru is the source of inspiration for all of us. Is there greater pride than this?” he added.
PM Modi suggested that the building which held meetings of the Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution, should be known as ‘Samvidhan Sadan’. The Adhiniyam bill also called the Women’s reservation bill became the first bill to be tabled in the new Parliament and also passed in both houses. The Lok Sabha passed it on September 20. The Bill was passed with 454 members voting in favour of the legislation and two against it on the motion for the passage. On September 21, Rajya Sabha passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam which happens to be the PM’s birthday according to the Hindu calendar. The 214 members of the Rajya Sabha passed the Women’s Reservation Bill unanimously, voting in support and none against.
The Bill passed in the two Houses by a majority of the total membership of the House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the House “present and voting”. The Rajya Sabha also passed two separate bills on Jammu and Kashmir on December 18. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 that seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. Lok Sabha passed this bill as well.
The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks a reservation of 33 per cent of seats in the Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry Assemblies for women. It was approved by the Lok Sabha in the 2023 winter session.
Not a lot of months into the inauguration, during the Winter Session, the new Parliament underwent a security breach that occurred on December 13, when two youth jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber during Zero Hour while setting off smoke cans and raising slogans.
The new Parliament building registered a rather swift record in this Winter Session as three key Bills replacing the criminal laws were passed while 146 MPs were suspended over their demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of Parliament security breach.
Hundred MPs were handed suspension from Lok Sabha and another 46 from Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour, disrupting proceedings by showing
placards and raising slogans over the breach issue.
Both houses passed the three criminal bills–the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita Bill and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill that aimed to replace the colonial laws namely the IPC, the CrPC and the Evidence Act.
Upon introduction of the three bills, Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked that it was the “beginning of a new era” for “the purpose of these bills is to give justice, not punishment.”
“For the first time in history,” Shah elaborated, “these bills were made by Bharat and approved by the Bharatiya Parliament for Bharatiya citizens.”
