Introduction:

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 is a statutory post defined in the Salaries and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.

Body:

Significance of the office:

• In view of the importance of the opposition in a parliamentary democracy, the office of the Leader of the Opposition is indeed one of responsibility.
• 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.
• LoP plays a crucial role in bringing bipartisanship and neutrality to the appointments in institutions of accountability and transparency – CVC, CBI, CIC, Lokpal etc.
• LoP among other things, watches for encroachments on the rights of minorities, demands debates when the Government is trying to slide away without parliamentary criticism.
• LoP must be in his place even more constantly than the Prime Minister.
• LoP must be familiar with all the tricks of skilled parliamentarian and all the opportunities of the rules of the House

 Reforms needed:

• No matter whosoever gets the majority, the LoP is critical to effective functioning of the opposition in the Parliament.
• Now that there is a law recognising the LoP, passed by the Parliament, it has to be enforced and
• It can’t be overlooked or undermined, no matter what the flexibility or ambiguity that exist in the legal framework.
• There arises a problem when no party in opposition secures 55 or more seats.
• In such situations, the numerically largest party in the opposition should have the right to have a leader recognised as leader of the opposition by the speaker.

Conclusion:

Under India’s almost unique system of government, the Leader of an Opposition has a very special responsibility towards the Parliament and to the nation. At moments of danger, moments specialty of foreign danger, and particularly also in matters affecting the security and safety of the realms. While he remains a critic he must in a sense be, a partner and even a. buttress of the Government to which he is opposed. This dual responsibility he must discharge with fidelity.