The Rajya Sabha Secretary General has written to his Lok Sabha counterpart raising the issue of “impropriety” in not calling Vice-President Hamid Ansari to the inauguration of a new annexe complex of Parliament. Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha have demanded an explanation from the Centre on the matter.

The building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, who was in the Chair when Opposition members raised the matter, said Ansari should have been invited by the Centre. “I think the Honourable Chairman should have been invited,” Kurien said.

The Opposition said the Centre had insulted the Constitutional post of Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, while demanding an apology from it.

Kurien also told the members that there is no document on record to suggest that the annexe is managed by the Lok Sabha.

Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the management had been done through committees since 1952.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said no one should undermine or attempt to undermine the importance of the Upper House. “For all official Parliament functions, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Deputy Chairman, as also Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker along with MPs are invited. This rule applied to all official functions in the Central Hall as well as in the premises of the Parliament House complex. Foundation stone of the Parliament House Annex building was laid in 2009 jointly following the same convention,” Azad said.

Azad said both Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the House were not invited to the function, and demanded that Jaitley clarify on the matter. “This is an insult of the entire House...Chairman and Deputy Chairman have not been given due respect,” he said.

Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M) asked the Centre to place documents specifying the Lok Sabha’s role in managing the building on the table of Rajya Sabha. “What is happening is illegal. You are bypassing (Rajya Sabha). You are insulting (Upper House),” he said.