New Parliament building latest updates: SC junks plea on inauguration by President Murmu, BJP condemns Opposition for boycotting ceremony 

The Supreme Court on Friday has quashed a petition seeking that President Droupadi Murmu should inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday. The top court said the petitioner had no locus standi to file such petitions. The top court further added the petitioner should be happy that no costs have been imposed on him. The New Parliament building is all set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid much pomp and show on May 28. 

25 parties will be attending the new Parliament inauguration on Sunday including the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), Biju Janata Dal, Jananta Dal (Secular), Asom Gana Parishad, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Telugu Desam Party (TDP). 20 opposition parties including the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Samajwadi Party (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will boycott the new Parliament opening ceremony. 

New Parliament building opening: Here are the latest developments so far 

1. The Supreme Court dismissed a petition stating that President Droupadi Murmu should inaugurate the Parliament. The petition, by advocate CR Jaya Sukin, also sought directives from the top court to the Lok Sabha secretariat.  

2. The advocate argued that the President holds authority to summon and prorogue the Parliament or dissolve the Lok Sabha. 

3. Congress general secretary communications said in a tweet that there is no documentary evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C Rajagopalachari, and Jawaharlal Nehru talking about 'Sengol' as a symbol of the transfer of power. 

4. Home Minister Amit Shah said the 'Sengol' was relegated as a 'walking stick' to a museum when former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru received it from a holy Saivite mutt in Tamil Nadu after Independence.   

5. BJP National President JP Nadda also claimed that the one common factor among most of the Opposition parties boycotting the opening happens to be that they depend on the political dynasty leading them. 

6. Nadda took a jibe at the Congress and said they are unable to digest Narendra Modi's electoral win in the 2014 and the 2019 General Elections.  

7. Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda said that he will attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building while adding it is a property of the country and has been built from taxpayers' money. 

8. In a royal snub to the Congress, JD(S) leader  HD Kumaraswamy said that they are "not slaves of Congress" and will take their own decision. Kumaraswamy said: "We are not slaves of Congress and will take our own decision. Why do we need to follow Congress?" 

9. The NDA condemned the Opposition's move to boycott the new Parliament building inauguration. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said inauguration of the new building is a festival of democracy and should not be a cause of conflict.  

10. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Opposition has to respect of democracy and implored them to participate in the ceremony. 

Also read: 'BJP/RSS distorians stand exposed': Congress' Jairam Ramesh on Sengol being installed inside New Parliament building

Also read: New Parliament building: SC dismisses plea seeking inauguration by President Murmu