Monday, November 11th, 2024

Who will become the leader of the opposition, how many numbers are needed and why is this post important, know everything

New Delhi: How many seats are needed for the Leader of Opposition, this question has been very important? This time Congress has got about 100 seats. This time the post of Leader of Opposition will be given to the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. In the last two Lok Sabhas, Congress was behind by 55 seats and due to this they could not get the status of Leader of Opposition. There is also a debate on where the rule of 10% of the total number of seats for the Leader of Opposition came from and what are the legal complexities related to this.10% marks are not mandatory under the 1977 law
Legal expert and former Secretary General of Lok Sabha PDT Acharya has a different opinion about the Leader of Opposition. he/she says that the leader of the largest party among the parties opposing the government gets the status of Leader of Opposition. However, it is a common belief that to become the Leader of Opposition, the largest opposition party needs at least 10% of the total seats, i.e. 55 seats. But former Secretary General of Lok Sabha Acharya does not consider it mandatory. According to him/her, the Parliamentary Act 1977 defines the salary, allowances etc. of the Leader of Opposition. The Leader of Opposition is defined in Section 2 of the Act. Under this, it is said that the Leader of Opposition is the leader of the opposition party and the Speaker of Lok Sabha recognizes the leader of the opposition party which has the highest number of members in the Lok Sabha as the Leader of Opposition. It is not written anywhere in this Act that the Leader of Opposition should have 10% of the total number of seats, i.e. 55 seats.

The speaker had decided the 10% rule
The issue of the Leader of the Opposition is very old. Lok Sabha was formed after the first general election in 1952 and then a rule was made to give the status of Leader of the Opposition after getting 10% seats. For this, the then Lok Sabha Speaker G.V. Mavalankar had set the rule that there should be 10% seats for the Leader of the Opposition. But after this, the Leader of the Opposition Salary Allowance Act was made in 1977. It said that the one who has the highest number of members will be considered the leader of the opposition party.

The speaker did not give the Congress the status of Leader of Opposition
When Congress got 44 seats in the 16th Lok Sabha, the then Speaker of Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan refused to give the status of Leader of Opposition to the Congress leader in Lok Sabha. For this, the Speaker had consulted the Attorney General. The Attorney General examined the 1977 law and said that the matter of giving the status of Leader of Opposition does not come under the purview of 1977 and the Speaker has to take a decision on it and it is his/her right. After this, the Congress leader in Lok Sabha did not get the status of Leader of Opposition. Congress also got 52 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha and did not stake claim to the post of Leader of Opposition.

The Leader of the Opposition is a member of many selection committees

Although the interpretation of the law is at its place, but this time that debate has lost its meaning because the figure of Congress has gone far beyond 55 seats. But this time Congress has reached around 100, in such a situation their leader will also get the post of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and after that he/she will be able to put his/her point strongly in the House. Also, their leader will be in all the committees in which the Leader of Opposition is a member and will be able to play a constructive role in a concrete way. Whether it is the collegium formed for the appointment of CBI Director or Election Commissioner, the voice of the opposition will be vocal in the high power committee formed for their appointment because in all these shortcomings, the Leader of Opposition will also be with the PM and the voting of the Leader of Opposition will prove to be important.

Why is the Leader of the Opposition very important for democracy?
A strong opposition is necessary for the strengthening of democracy and it is represented by the Leader of Opposition. Also, there are many practicalities in which the Leader of Opposition has an important role. The Leader of Opposition is also there along with the PM in the committee formed for the appointment of CBI Director, CVC, Lokpal and Chief Election Commissioner. When the Lokpal was appointed in March 2019, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge was invited as a special invitee in the selection committee meeting. Kharge boycotted this meeting and said that he/she does not have the right to vote and he/she is not recognized as the Leader of Opposition, so he/she will not attend the meeting. But all such controversies will now come to an end and the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party will play an important role as the Leader of Opposition and will fulfill the practical requirements in the democratic system.

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