Leader Of Opposition

Leader of the opposition is the person in charge of the opposition party with the majority of seats in the parliament, usually at least 10%. He is referred to as the "shadow prime minister" and the "alternative prime minister." He offers a backup administration in the event that the current one is overthrown or fails to win a majority in the House of Commons. The Chairman/Speaker of the House must recognize the Leader of the Opposition Party in the House with the highest numerical strength in accordance with the Parliament Rules Act of 1977.

Where did the term "leader of opposition" come from?

• G V Mavalankar served as the Lok Sabha's first Speaker. The rule that Mavalankar created to identify the opposition leader in the house has gained notoriety.
• Mavalankar's system requires that the leader of the single largest opposition party hold at least 10% of the total number of seats in the House (55 in the case of the current strength).
• Recently because it does not have the necessary number of members, a National Political Party has declared that it would not run for the position of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
• The second-largest party in parliament after the majority has only 52 members, falling three short of the necessary number.

What crucial tasks is the opposition leader responsible for?

• The Leader of the Opposition's duties include presiding over meetings where the opposition discusses legislation and votes on it, choosing opposition members to serve as shadow ministers, leading the shadow Cabinet, serving as the main opposition spokesperson, and leading the opposition in a federal election.

What Does Being the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Mean?

• The leader of the opposition is allegedly referred to as the "Shadow Prime Minister." If the government is forced to dissolve due to an unforeseen event, the Leader should be prepared to take over.
• The absence of such a Leader of the Opposition will weaken India since the opposition will be unable to present a united front in opposition to the ruling party.
• The opposition's leader is crucial in ensuring that the group works cohesively and effectively on legislative and policy matters.
• Additionally, it aids in ensuring impartiality in the selection of officials for institutions that promote accountability and transparency, such as the CVC, CBI, Lokpal, and CIC.
• The opposition leader's other responsibility is to keep an eye out for minority' rights abuses. They can also ask for discussions on these important topics if the government is attempting to evade parliamentary scrutiny.
• The Public Accounts Committee, whose chairperson is the leader of the opposition, is in place to oversee the spending of the governing party.

What is the process for choosing the opposition leader?

• The process for identifying the opposition leader is clearly laid out.
• Upon request from the opposition party with the highest numerical representation, the designated leader of that party shall be acknowledged as the opposition leader.
• The speaker or chairperson acknowledges the requester after her or his secretariat has reviewed it.

Conclusion

The Leader of an Opposition has highly specific responsibilities to the Parliament and to the state because of the unique state structure. The Leader of the Opposition plays a crucial function in the current Government in situations like foreign danger or also in issues impacting the security and safety of the realms. He must in a way be a supporter and even a buttress of the government he opposes while he continues to be a critic. He must faithfully carry out this dual task.