No Minimum seats criteria for Opposition leader

The Asian Age: New Delhi: Saturday, 18 October 2014.

Two months after Congress’ demand for Leader of Opposition’s post was rejected by Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the Lok Sabha Secretriat has, in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query, said there was no minimum percentage of seats required for appointment of LoP in Lok Sabha.

“There is no minimum percentage prescribed for the selection of the Leader of Opposition,” Under secretary of the Lok Sabha Secretariat K. Sona said in reply to a query by Mumbai-based RTI activist Anil Galgali, who had filed an application, seeking information on the compulsory minimum strength required for appointment of LoP.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi had written a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan on July 7 requesting that LoP status be given to the party leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge.

In her response to Mrs Gandhi’s letter on August 14, the speaker had said after considering “applicable provisions” and “past precedents” it was not possible to accede to her request.