No arbitrariness in selection of consultant for Central Vista project, Centre tells SC

New Delhi: The Centre told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that there was no arbitrariness or favouritism in selecting consultant for the Central Vista project, which covers 3-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens' Delhi, and the argument that government could have adopted a better process cannot be a ground to scrap the project.

Gujarat-based architecture firm HCP Designs has won the consultancy bid for the Centre's ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista.

The revamp, which was announced in September last year, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is targeted to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.

The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that there was no abdication of duty in selection of consultant and every stakeholder participated and gave suggestions in the process.

An argument that the government could have adopted a better process, cannot be a sufficient ground to scrap the project, Mehta said while opposing the pleas which have raised questions over several aspects including the environmental clearance (EC) granted to the project.

There was no element of arbitrariness or favouritism in selection of consultant, he told the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna.

The solicitor general said the decision was taken by the competent authority and there is no allegation of colourable exercise of power .

He said the petitioners have not shown any constitutional or statutory breach in the matter and they have only offered an alternative method, which cannot be a reason to scrap the project.

The recent trend is to involve constitutional morality and due process clause from foreign countries in every case, Mehta said.

Due process is not contemplated by our Constitution, he said. We have our Constitution and we should not deviate from it.