NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday said suggestions have been invited from experts on the future use of the Old Parliament Building (Samvidhan Sadan) and a final decision will be taken at the general body meeting of Lok Sabha under his chairmanship. The govt has maintained that the building will be preserved and put to efficient use.Responding to a question from TOI on the building’s fate, Birla said, “We have sought suggestions from different experts and we are also holding discussions with them. After getting all inputs, this will be discussed at the general body meeting of Lok Sabha under the Speaker’s chairmanship, which is attended by all floor leaders (of political parties).”“We will finalise after deliberations. Even when the new Parliament Building was built, the final decision on the use of new building was taken by the same general body,” he said.Officials said that the Old Parliament Building will be conserved as an archaeological asset and an icon of the country’s democratic history. There is also a plan to carry out retrofitting, create more functional spaces for offices and parliamentary events, and convert a part of the building into ‘Museum of Democracy’.While speaking at the Central Hall, bidding adieu to the Old Parliament Building, on Sept 19, 2023, PM Narendra Modi had suggested not to refer to it as the ‘Old Parliament’ and leave it behind. “I request that in future, if both of you gentlemen (Speaker and Vice-President) agree, then it should be known as the ‘Samvidhan Sadan’. This way, it will forever remain an inspiration in our lives.”“And, when we call it ‘Samvidhan Sadan’, then the memory of those great men, the distinguished great men, who once used to sit here in the Constituent Assembly, will also be associated with it. Therefore, we should not miss the opportunity to give this gift to future generations,” he had said.
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