Day 10 – Q. 2 Analyze the importance of the opposition leader in India’s parliamentary system.

Analyze the importance of the opposition leader in India’s parliamentary system.

भारत की संसदीय प्रणाली में विपक्ष के नेता के महत्व का विश्लेषण कीजिए।

Approach –

A simple straightforward question where  candidates needs to write about importance of opposition leader In India’s parliamentary system.

Introduction –

The LOP is leader of the largest party that has not less than one-tenth of the total strength of the house.It is a statutory post defined in the Salaries and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act.

Body –

The Leader of the Opposition is a member of parliament who leads the largest party, or coalition of parties, that is not in government,

The important Functions performed by Leader of opposition ,The tasks of the Leader of the Opposition include:

• Chairing meetings in which the opposition discusses policies and examines bills
• Presenting alternative policies to those of the government
• Selecting members of the opposition to be shadow ministers
• Leading the shadow Cabinet
• Acting as the chief opposition spokesperson
• Leading the opposition in a federal election.

Significance-

• It is also said that the Leader of Opposition is called the ‘Shadow Prime Minister’. The Leader should be ready to take over if the government falls in any adverse circumstance.
• In case of a vacant position of such Leader of the Opposition, It will weaken India as the Opposition will not be able to put up a unified front against the ruling party.
• The leader of the opposition plays an important role in bringing cohesiveness and effectiveness to the opposition’s functioning in policy and legislative work.
• It also helps in bringing neutrality to the appointments of institutions of accountability and transparency such as CVC, CBI, Lokpal, CIC, etc.
• The LoP also plays an important role in bringing cohesiveness and effectiveness to the opposition’s functioning in policy and legislative work.
• The other role of the leader of the Opposition is to watch for the violation of the rights of minorities. They can also demand debates on such crucial issues, when the government is trying to slide away without parliamentary criticism.
• The Public Accounts Committee is there whose chairmen are is Leader of the Opposition to check the expenditure of the ruling party.

What reforms are needed-

• 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 recognized as leader of the opposition by the speaker.
• Besides, the 10% formulation is inconsistent with the law ‘the salary and allowances of leaders of opposition in Parliament Act, 1977’ which only says that the largest opposition party should get the post.

Way Forward-

• 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 recognizing the LoP, passed by the Parliament, it has to be enforced and
• LoP plays a crucial role in bringing bipartisanship and neutrality to the appointments in institutions of accountability and transparency – CVC, CBI, CIC, Lokpal etc.
• It can’t be overlooked or undermined, no matter what the flexibility or ambiguity that exist in the legal framework.

Conclusion-

Under India’s almost unique system of state, the Leader of an Opposition features very special responsibility towards the Parliament and to the state. While he remains a critic he must during a sense be, a partner and even a buttress of the Govt to which he is opposed. This dual responsibility he must discharge with fidelity.