The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) status in Lok Sabha be granted to the Congress party.
Rejecting the PIL, the apex court bench said, “We are not here to decide political issues in PIL.”
The court stated that ruling of the Speaker of Lok Sabha is not amenable to judicial review.
The PIL had contended that the Congress leader in Lok Sabha be conferred the status of the LoP as it is the largest party in the opposition as provided under the 1977 law on salary and allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament.
Contesting the opinion of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, the petitioner, advocate MLSharma, contended that the question of the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha could not be mixed up with the statutory provision which says that party securing 10 percent of the total strength of the Lok Sabha could only be accorded the status of the recognized opposition party in the lower house.
Rohatgi in his opinion to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had said that Congress leader in Lok Sabha could not be treated as Leader of opposition as the party does not have minimum of 55 seats that it should have to get the status of recognized opposition party.
