1.

Consider the following statements regarding Leader of the Opposition in either House of the Parliament of India.1. The position of Leader of the Opposition is a constitutional post2. When no party in the Lok Sabha secures required seats to form an opposition party and to designate a Leader of opposition, the matter is then decided  by the President of India.Which of the above statements is/are correct?1. 1 only2. 2 only3. Both 1 and 24. Neither 1 or 2

Answer» Correct Answer - Option 4 : Neither 1 or 2

The correct answer is Neither 1 or 2.

  • The Leader of the Opposition is the politician who leads the official opposition in either House of the Parliament of India. To claim the status of “official opposition” in either house a party has to secure 55 seats (10%) of the seats in the Lok Sabha and likewise 25 (10%) of the seats in the Rajya Sabha.
  • It received statutory recognition through the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977 which defines the term “Leader of the Opposition” as that member of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. It is not constitutional post. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
  • The Leader of that House of the Party in Opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and recognized, as such, by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

Importance of LoP: The shadow PM

  • The Westminster model that India follows the opposition is a recognizable entity and the LoP is referred to as the ‘shadow Prime Minister’.
  • She/he is expected to be ready to take over if the government falls.
  • The LoP also plays an important role in bringing cohesiveness and effectiveness to the opposition’s functioning in policy and legislative work.​


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