The Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977 established the legal definition of the role of Leader Of Opposition In Lok Sabha. Rahul Gandhi is Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, a position that was unfilled for 10 years since no party possessed a tenth of the House’s strength, which is a typical requirement.
Leader Of Opposition In Lok Sabha
Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, will take over as head of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha after ten years. Even though it had fewer than 10% of the seats in the Lower House, the Congress was unable to win the title of second-largest party in the Lok Sabha in both 2014 and 2019.
In the 543-member Lok Sabha, an opposition party must have at least 55 seats to be eligible to run for Leader of the Opposition. The Congress managed to win 44 seats in the 2014 general election, although it lost both its position as the party in power and its place at the top.
Then-Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan turned down the Congress’s application for the Leader Of Opposition In Lok Sabha of the House. The Congress managed to win 52 seats in 2019, which was again insufficient to regain the position of Leader of the House.
Roles & Responsibilities of The Leader of the Opposition
To maintain the essential checks and balances on the governing administration, the Leader of the Opposition is an essential participant in legislative processes. They guarantee that different points of view are taken into account and that they are reflected.
- Status equivalent to Cabinet minister rank
- Member of selection committees
- Central bureau of investigation
- Chief Election commissioner
- Election commissioners
- Enforcement director
- National Human Rights Commissioner
- Lokpal Chief
- Audit and Expenditure Committee of Government Expenditure.
The Leader of the Opposition, who mimics the functions of the government’s Cabinet, is often referred to as the “shadow prime minister” and leads a shadow Cabinet. If the current administration fails, this shadow Cabinet is ready to assume power.
Who Is the Leader Of the Opposition?
The Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977 established the Leader of the Opposition as a formal office. According to this statute, the member of the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha who heads the party opposing the government with the largest number of members is the Leader of the Opposition.
The pre-independence period is when the role of Leader of the Opposition originated. Prominent personalities such as Motilal Nehru were among the first to be granted official recognition and awards. The foundation for the post’s official formation within the Indian legislative system was set by this early acknowledgment.
The LoP remained essential to the nation’s legislative system even after independence. Dr. Ram Subhag Singh was the first Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, holding the office from 1969 to 1971.
Leader of the Opposition’s salary and facilities provided
Under the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977, the Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been granted formal status, along with a salary and several other perks and amenities.
Section 3 of the Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, which applies to Members of Parliament, specifies the rates that each Leader of the Opposition gets as a monthly salary and daily allowances. This is guaranteed by the 1977 Act.
The Finance Act of 2018 made amendments to the Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament Act of 1954. The changes take effect on April 1, 2018, and they were meant to be reviewed every five years starting on April 1, 2023, based on the Cost Inflation Index.
The following is what our parliament’s members receive:
- Salary: ₹1 Lakh per month
- Daily allowance: ₹2,000 per day for each day of Residence in Delhi on duty.
- Constituency allowance: ₹70,000 per month.
- Furniture allowance: ₹1 Lakh (out of which ₹80,000 for durables and ₹20,000 for nondurables)
- Office expense allowance: ₹60,000 per month (out of which, ₹20,000 is for meeting expenses on stationery and postage)
The Leader of the Opposition is given many amenities, such as:
- The chair is positioned adjacent to the deputy speaker’s seat in the first row of the Lok Sabha.
- a room with secretarial and other amenities at Parliament House.
- Additionally, the Leader of the Opposition is granted special rights on ceremonial occasions, such as (i) leading the Speaker-elect to the rostrum and (ii) having a front-row seat when the President addresses the Houses of Parliament.
Go to GMR Homepage To Get Relevant Content.
