A public interest petition was filed by an advocate C.R. Jaya Sukin, questioning the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not the “First Citizen of India”, President Droupadi Murmu.

In the petition, advocate Sukin questioned whether the President was not even invited to the inauguration ceremony.

The plea comes at a time when nineteen opposition parties in a joint statement stated they would boycott the inauguration ceremony as they are of the opinion that the PM is completely sidelining the President of the country, Droupadi Murmu.

They further said, this is not only “a grave insult but also direct assault on the democracy which demands a commensurate response.”

The plea stated that the president is the first citizen of India and the head of the institution of Parliament and sought that the President inaugurates the new Parliament building.

Mr. Sukin said an inauguration of the Parliament, the supreme legislative body of the nation, without the President was “not according to the law”.

However, the Supreme Court declined to hear the plea saying it was not “inclined” to hear the petition filed by advocate C.R. Jaya Sukin.

On asking Sukin, the reason of filing the petition by the Vacation Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and P.S. Narasimha, Sukin said "She is my President. I am a citizen.”

He further went on to refer to Article 79 of the Constitution which stated that there “shall be a Parliament for the Union, which will consist of the President and two Houses to be called respectively the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha)“.

On hearing this, one of the judges asked Sukin what was the connection between Article 79 and the inauguration function.

To which Sukin said, “The President is the head of the Parliament. The Prime Minister is only the head of the executive government. It is for the President to inaugurate…”

However the Court said it could not intervene in the issue on the basis of a petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution.

(With inputs from The Hindu)