Consider the following statements:
- In the first Lok Sabha, the single largest party in the opposition was the Swatantra Party.
- In the Lok Sabha, a “Leader of the Opposition” was recognised for the first time in 1969.
- In the Lok Sabha, if a party does not have a minimum of 75 members, its leader cannot be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 and 3 only
2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
Statement 2 is correct. The post of ‘Leader of the Opposition’ was formally recognized in the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1969. It was given statutory recognition later by the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.
Statement 3 is incorrect. For a party’s leader to be recognized as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the party must have a strength equal to at least 10% of the total strength of the House. This threshold is 55 members (10% of 545), not 75.
Therefore, only statement 2 is correct.
– Leader of the Opposition was officially recognized in 1969.
– The minimum strength required for a party to have a recognized Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha is 10% of the total strength of the House (55 members).