Amid the continuing claim of the Congress to the leader of Opposition’s (loP) post, lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday said she will take a call on the issue within the next four days after going through the rules and Attorney General’s letter on the matter.
Mahajan said the Speaker did not enjoy any personal discretion while choosing a member as loP and was only meant to follow rules and precedents to arrive at a decision.
“I will see all the rules and also the letter of Attorney General. I have to see what’s there and what is not. Speaker cannot do anything...I have to go by the rules. Within one to four days, I’m expecting a decision on this,” she said. Pointing out instances when there had been no loPs, she said: “Many a times, there was no leader of Opposition. First loP was only in 1969 as before that no one had 1/10th (seats) in lok Sabha. There was no loP in 1980 and also in 1984.
“Now also the numbers are not adequate for loP...So have to see,” she said. In view of the dilemma she was facing over the issue, Mahajan had sought AG Mukul Rohtagi’s opinion on the matter. In his letter, Rohatgi opined that Congress is not eligible and there is no precedent since the days of the first lok Sabha to grant the post to a party which does not have the minimum required MPs.
Congress leader Kamal Nath had earlier threatened to go to court if loP status was not granted to the party and cast aspersion on the impartiality of Speaker on the issue. The BJP had strongly objected to the observation of the Congress leaders and described it as “unfortunate.” A senior BJP leader said, “We do not figure anywhere, Speaker will decide it”.