Old Parliament House, New Delhi

File:Parliament House, British India (1926).png in 1926, home of the Central Legislative Assembly]]

The building was designed by the British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker in 1912–1913.{{cite web |last=Ghosal |first=Jayanta |title=Sansad Bhavan to be revamped; all MPs to get separate offices |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/sansad-bhavan-mps-room-parliament-house-building-modi-vision-552852 |publisher=India TV |access-date=26 October 2020 |date=27 September 2019}} The structure was built over a period of six years, starting in 1921 and culminating in 1927. Following the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms in 1919, there was an expansion of the Legislative Assembly which necessitated the construction of the building.{{Cite book |last=Irving |first=Robert Grant |title=Indian Summer: Lutyens, Baker and Imperial Delhi |publisher=Yale University Press |year=1981 |location=New Haven; London |pages=295}} The iconic circular design was proposed by Lutyens, who believed that this would be the most efficient design given the triangular shape of the plot of land on which the building is located.{{Cite journal |last=Baker |first=Herbert |year=1926 |title=The New Delhi |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41357264 |journal=Journal of the Royal Society of Arts |volume=74 |issue=3841 |pages=781–782 |jstor=41357264 }}

The foundation stone was laid by HRH Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, in February 1921. On 18 January 1927, Sir Bhupendra Nath Mitra, a Member of the Governor-General's Executive Council, in charge of the Department of Industries and Labour, invited Lord Irwin, then Viceroy of India, to inaugurate the building. The third session of Central Legislative Assembly was held in this building on 19 January 1927.{{cite web|title=History of the Parliament of Delhi|url=http://delhiassembly.nic.in/history_assembly.htm|publisher=delhiassembly.nic.in|access-date=13 December 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acoBAAAAMAAJ&q=sir+bhupendra+nath+mitra+bank+of+india&pg=PA1054|title = Delhi Gazetteer|last1 = Chopra|first1 = Prabha|year = 1976}}

After independence, the house served as the seat of the Constituent Assembly from 1947–1950. The Constitution of India was created here, under the presidency of Rajendra Prasad.{{cite book |title=Original edition with original artwork – The Constitution of India |date=26 November 1949 |publisher=Government of India |location=New Delhi |url=https://www.wdl.org/en/item/2672/view/1/1/ |access-date=22 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322045811/https://www.wdl.org/en/item/2672/view/1/1/ |archive-date=22 March 2019 |url-status=live }}

File:Jawaharlal Nehru addressing the constituent assembly in 1946.jpg addressing the constituent assembly in 1946]]

Two floors were added to the structure in 1956 due to a demand for more space.{{cite news |last1=Patel |first1=Shivam |last2=Lakhani |first2=Somu |date=24 January 2020 |title=Diversity, efficiency, flexibility: The brief for redeveloping New Delhi's Central Vista |language=en |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/central-vista-project-new-delhi-dr-bimal-patel-parliament-prime-minister-office-rajpath-6212011/ |access-date=5 January 2021}}

The Parliament Museum, which was opened in 2006, stands next to the Parliament House, in the building of the Parliamentary Library.{{cite news |title=Past meets present in Parliament |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/past-meets-present-in-parliament/10630/ |newspaper=Indian Express |date=15 August 2006 }}

The architectural style of the structure can be described as an amalgamation of a classical style of architecture inspired from Greece and Rome and structural elements and decorative motifs from Indian architecture.{{Cite book |last=Volwahsen |first=Andreas |title=Imperial Delhi: The British Capital of the Indian Empire |publisher=Prestel |year=2002 |location=Munich; New York |pages=140}} The perimeter of the building is circular, with 144 columns on the outside. At the centre of the building is the circular Central Chamber, and surrounding this Chamber are three semicircular halls that were constructed for the sessions of the Chamber of Princes (now used as the Library Hall), the State Council (later used for the Rajya Sabha), and the Central Legislative Assembly (later used for the Lok Sabha). The former parliament is surrounded by large gardens and the perimeter is fenced off by sandstone railings (jali).{{Cite news|url=https://m.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/parliament-house-144-pillars-of-pride/story-UBRQJ3tqmspQR34gkx1O2K.html|title=Parliament House: 144 pillars of pride|date=7 June 2011|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=20 August 2018|language=en}} The current building is planned to be converted into a Museum of Democracy after the new Parliament House becomes operational.{{cite news |title=Construction of new Parliament building: Shaping the Central Vista |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/shaping-the-central-vista/2171809/ |access-date=16 January 2021 |work=The Financial Express |date=16 January 2021}}

{{Main|Parliament House, New Delhi}}

Proposals for a new parliament building to replace Parliament House emerged in the early 2010s as a result of questions being asked about the stability of the original structure.{{cite news|title=Delhi may see a new Parliament building|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Delhi-may-see-a-new-Parliament-building/articleshow/14866428.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715063551/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-13/india/32662416_1_heritage-building-parliament-house-mantralaya-fire|url-status=live|archive-date=15 July 2012|access-date=13 December 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=13 July 2012}} In 2012, a committee was assembled by the then Speaker, Mira Kumar, to suggest and assess several alternatives to the usage of the building.{{cite web|author=Firstpost |url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/speaker-sets-up-panel-to-suggest-new-home-for-parliament-377345.html |title=Speaker sets up panel to suggest new home for Parliament |publisher=Firstpost |date=13 July 2012 |access-date=15 August 2012}}

In 2019, the Indian government launched the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, a multi-billion dollar project to redevelop the Central Vista, India's central administrative area near Raisina Hill, New Delhi. The construction of a new parliament building, as well as redeveloping the Rajpath will create a new office and residence for the Indian prime minister, as well as combining all ministerial buildings in a single central secretariat.{{Cite news|date=23 April 2020|title=Central Vista Redevelopment Project|work=Drishti IAS|url=https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/central-vista-redevelopment-project|access-date=22 September 2020}}

The ceremony for the new building was held in October 2020 and the foundation stone was laid on 10 December 2020.{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Groundwork For New Parliament Building Begins, To Be Completed In 22 Months |url=https://www.bloombergquint.com/politics/groundwork-for-new-parliament-building-begins-to-be-completed-in-22-months |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=BloombergQuint |date=1 October 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Mathew|first=Liz|date=6 December 2020|title=PM Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament building on December 10|newspaper=The Indian Express|location=New Delhi|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-modi-to-lay-foundation-stone-for-new-parliament-building-on-december-10-7093362/|access-date=6 December 2020}}

File:Barack Obama at Parliament of India in New Delhi addressing Joint session of both houses 2010.jpg addresses the Parliament of India at the Central Hall in 2010]]

After the inauguration of the New Parliament House, the Old Parliament House will be converted to a Museum of Democracy.{{cite web | url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/new-parliament-building-may-not-be-called-parliament-house-may-get-a-new-name-article-100487418 | title=New Parliament Building May Not be Called Parliament House, May Get a New Name | date=25 May 2023 }}{{Update inline|date=January 2025|reason=The New Parliament House has been inaugurated. The official name has been changed in the lead. What is the status of becoming the Museum of Democracy?}} In a speech held on 19 September 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed that the building be renamed Samvidhan Sadan ("Constitution House").{{Cite news |date=19 September 2023 |work=The Statesman |title=Old Parliament building to be known as 'Samvidhan Sadan': Modi |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/old-parliament-building-to-be-known-as-samvidhan-sadan-modi-1503223574.html}} Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, announced later that day that it had been so renamed.{{Cite news |date=20 September 2023 |work=The Statesman |title=Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla notifies renaming old Parliament building as 'Samvidhan Sadan' |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/lok-sabha-speaker-om-birla-notifies-renaming-old-parliament-building-as-samvidhan-sadan-1503223724.html}}

{{Further|2001 Indian Parliament attack}}

On 13 December 2001, five terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) - two Pakistan-raised terrorist organisations - entered the grounds of Parliament and attempted to invade the building. They were all killed outside the building. The attack led to the deaths of six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Services personnel, and a gardener – nine others in total – and led to increased tensions between India and Pakistan, resulting in the 2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff.{{cite news|title=Terrorists attack Parliament; five intruders, six cops killed|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/13parl1.htm|access-date=13 December 2013|newspaper=rediff.com|date=13 December 2001}}

File:Lord Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes.jpg|Lord Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes as Viceroy in 1947.

File:A Constituent Assembly of India meeting in 1950.jpg|A Constituent Assembly of India meeting in 1950.

File:Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai listens to Jimmy Carter as he addresses the Indian Parliament House. - NARA - 177385.tif|Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai listens to U.S President Jimmy Carter as he addresses the Indian Parliament in 1978.

File:Obverse of the 10 Rupees silver coin of 1972, commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Independence (1947—1972), featuring male and female figures standing (the man carrying Indian National Flag) before the Parliament of India building.jpg|Indian Parliament House building depicted on the obverse of the 10 Rupees silver coin of 1972, commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Independence (1947—1972).

File:Inside Indian Parliament.jpg|Erstwhile Lok Sabha chamber.

File:Stamp of India - 1977 - Colnect 578217 - 25th Anniversary of Rajya Sabha.jpeg|Erstwhile Rajya Sabha chamber

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Category:Parliament of India

Category:Government buildings in Delhi

Category:Herbert Baker buildings and structures

Category:British colonial architecture in India