Parliament House, New Delhi

Parliament House, New Delhi
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs · GODL-India · source
Name	Parliament House, New Delhi
Location	Sansad Marg, New Delhi
Architect	Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker
Client	Government of India (pre-1947)
Owner	Government of India
Completion date	1927
Style	Indo-Saracenic architecture, Classical architecture

Parliament House, New Delhi is the circular legislature building that houses the lower chamber Lok Sabha and the upper chamber Rajya Sabha of the Parliament of India. Designed during the British Raj by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, it stands in the Lutyens' Delhi precinct near India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan. The complex has been the focal point for Indian legislative life since the Indian Independence Act 1947 and remains central to debates involving the Constitution of India, President of India, Prime Minister of India, and national policymaking.

History

The commission to build a new imperial capital followed decisions made after the Delhi Durbar (1911) and the Transfer of the Capital to Delhi; planners including Sir Thomas Holdich and Sir Edwin Lutyens collaborated with administrators from the India Office and the Viceroy of India to site the complex near the Rashtrapati Bhavan axis. Construction began under supervision of contractors influenced by standards from the Public Works Department (India, 1854) and the project referenced precedents such as the Palace of Westminster and United States Capitol in stylistic and functional planning. The completed assembly chambers opened in the late 1920s and were repurposed following the Indian Independence Act 1947 and the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1950, hosting inaugural sessions featuring figures like Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, and visiting dignitaries from United Kingdom and United States. Over decades the building witnessed landmark legislation including the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956 debates, sessions during the Emergency (India, 1975–1977), and the passage of major bills such as the Goods and Services Tax Act deliberations involving members from Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and regional parties.

Architecture and design

The circular plan derived from classical precedents integrates elements inspired by Indo-Saracenic architecture and Classical architecture as interpreted by Lutyens and Baker alongside artisans linked to the Archaeological Survey of India. The exterior colonnade, pillared peristyle, and central rotunda reference models like the Pantheon, Rome and the British Museum while incorporating motifs found at Qutub Minar and Sultanate era monuments. Chambers are arranged to accommodate the Lok Sabha Secretariat and Rajya Sabha Secretariat workflows; acoustics and sightlines were influenced by debates in the House of Commons and the Senate of the United States. Decorative programmes include stonework from quarries used for Viceroy's House, murals reflecting themes similar to works by Raja Ravi Varma and sculptural commissions with artisans who had worked on Victoria Memorial, Kolkata. Landscaping aligns with axial planning of Kartavya Path and vistas toward India Gate with services coordinated by the Central Public Works Department.

Function and operations

The complex functions as the meeting place for the Parliament of India where bills introduced by ministers such as the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Home Affairs are debated; budget sessions presided over following precedents in the Union Budget of India are tabled by the Minister of Finance and involve committees like the Public Accounts Committee and Estimates Committee. Legislative business follows procedures codified in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha exercising control over debates. Parliamentary committees, inter-parliamentary delegations to bodies such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and visits by heads of state like the President of the United States or Prime Minister of the United Kingdom often use the building's committee rooms, libraries, and galleries administered by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

Notable events and sessions

Noteworthy moments include the first post-independence addresses by Jawaharlal Nehru, heated debates during the Emergency (India, 1975–1977), passage of landmark measures like the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 and later reversals, and state addresses by foreign leaders including delegations from United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, and members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The building hosted emergency sessions during conflicts such as the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and legislative actions linked to the Mandal Commission implementation debates, as well as ceremonial sittings for constitutional amendments, impeachment proceedings referencing the office of the President of India, and high-profile question hour exchanges involving ministers from Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh administrations.

Security and access

Security regimes evolved from colonial-era paramilitary detachments to integrated arrangements involving the Parliament Security Service, Central Reserve Police Force, Delhi Police, and coordination with the Special Protection Group for VIP protection. Access protocols govern admission to galleries for members of the public, accredited press from outlets like The Times of India and The Hindu, and diplomatic guests from missions such as the Embassy of the United States, New Delhi; biometric and identity systems were upgraded following incidents requiring increased screening, with oversight by committees including the Committee on Security.

Preservation and renovations

Preservation efforts have been led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Architectural Survey of India, with conservation ethics influenced by charters such as the Venice Charter; renovation projects have balanced heritage conservation with modern infrastructure needs like seismic retrofitting, electrical upgrades, and digital voting systems used by the Election Commission of India for roll-call processes. Recent redevelopment initiatives coordinated with the Central Public Works Department and heritage consultants addressed deterioration while negotiating requirements from the Archaeological Survey of India and parliamentary authorities, resulting in phased works affecting sessions and temporary relocations of committee functions.

Category:Legislative buildings in India Category:Buildings and structures in New Delhi