[Challenge Against Central Vista Project] Live-Updates From Supreme Court

Court informs Suri to conclude his arguments tomorrow. Hegde seeks for time to do the same.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta will also be given time to make his submissions.

Adv. Shikhil Suri is now making his submissions.

Hegde: You are right in that government is not bound by their advice. But, let me show you how the actions of the CVC are not in sync with the actions taken by it in previous instances.

Hegde submits that an OM was issued and it is based on that.

Bench: So, it is not a statutory committee. It can only give advice if something is referred to it and the same is not binding.

Bench: What are the provisions under which the CVC was established and the scope of its authority ? Because designing and planning is done by others. Give us the specific provisions. 

Hegde: The decisions taken are not even a decision, much less a reasoned one. The only observation made is that the features of the proposed Parliament should be in sync with the present Parliament. It’s vague and open to misinterpretation. 

Hegde is now taking the Court through the timeline of the initiation of the Central Vista project. He also states that the project was taken up during the lockdown and there is opacity in the reasons given for the go-ahead. 

Hegde recalls that a debate arose whether the Supreme Court building should be in the Capital or at a more central location. After great deliberation, the Capital was chosen. 

Hegde now shows a photo which represents first President of India Rajendra Prasad inspecting a model of the Supreme Court before its construction.

He takes the Court through the architecture and the history of the Supreme Court. 

Hegde seeks to put across the point that the Karnataka HC and Delhi HC were reintegrated with new buildings.

He now shows the Bench photos of Delhi HC’s new building and states that it resembles and co-exists with the old building.