LEADER OF OPPOSITION (LOP) – LOK SABHA

About: 

• Statutory Post: The post of leader of opposition has received statutory recognition through theSalary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977. It defines the term leader of opposition.
  
  
• Meaning:
  • The Act defines LOP as that member of theLok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha who is the Leader of that House of the Party in Opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and recognized, as such, by the presiding officer of that house.
    
    
  • In simple words LOP is a legislator who leads the“official opposition” in either House of the Parliament of India.
    
    
  
  
  
• Criteria for formal recognition:
  • The concerned party must have at least10% of the total strength of the House (55 seats in the Lok Sabha). Otherwise, the House will not have recognized leader of the opposition.
    
    
  • The post of Leader of the Opposition can only be awarded to the leader of a single political party and not to the leader of an alliance, even if the alliance was formed prior to the election.
    
    
  
  
  
• His/Her Role:
  • The LOP enjoys the rank of a Cabinet minister.
    
    
  • The LOP serves on several important committees, including the selection panels for theCentral Vigilance Commission, Central Information Commission, National Human Rights Commission and National Judicial Appointments Commission.
    
    
  
  
  
• What if there is no officially recognized leader of opposition?
  • In that case, the leader of the single largest group in opposition will discharge the role of leader of opposition. However, he/she do not receives the salaries and allowances that an officially recognized one would enjoy.
    
    
  • Or simply, in words of subash kashyap we can have “leaders in opposition” but we can’t have “the leader of opposition”.