Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
Caucus head of the opposition party in the lower house of Indian parliament
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Through Lok Sabha and Government of India
The office holder ranks 7th in the Order of Precedence of India.
History
In the Lok Sabha until 1969, there was a de facto opposition leader with no formal recognition, status or privilege. Later, the leader of the opposition was given official recognition, and their salary and allowances were extended by the Act of 1977. Since then, the leader in the Lok Sabha should satisfy three conditions, namely,
- They should be a member of the House
- of the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and
- be recognized by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
In December 1969, the Congress Party (O) was recognized as the main opposition party in the parliament while its leader, Ram Subhag Singh played the role of the opposition leader.
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Roles and responsibilities
A Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha has the following responsibilities.
- Status equivalent to Cabinet minister rank
- Member of selection committees
- Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Election Commissioners
- Enforcement Director
- National Human Rights Commissioner
- Lokpal Chairperson
- Audit and Expenditure committee of Government expenditure
However, in the selection panels for most of these appointments, except the CBI, where the Chief Justice of India is a member of this three-member committee that includes the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India, the government holds a numerical advantage, i.e votes are in the government's favour. However, the Leader of the Opposition will still have a say.
Privileges and salary
The leader of opposition is a statutory post and officially recognized in “The Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977”.
List of leaders of the opposition in Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha did not officially recognize a leader of the opposition until 1969. The position was vacant between 1970 and 1977, between 1980 and 1989 and between 2014 and 2024. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party has been recognised leader of the opposition in India's parliament, filling a post that had been empty for a decade.
Vacant