(Image source from: Is Congress eligible for Leader of Opposition post?})

The Congress party has again staked claim for the position of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. Congress leaders on Saturday said that the party being the second largest political party in the lower house is elegible for the LoP position.

Keeping in mind the evolving jurisprudence of Parliamentary traditions and conventions, the Congress party is entitled for the post of LoP, said Congress leader Manish Tewari.

Tewari said that the Congress is the second largest political party in the lower house of Parliament, and as such entitled to hold the LoP position.

According to Manish Tewari, the opinion of the Attorney General (AG) is advisory in nature and cannot be binding on the person seeking it. He sighted the evolving jurisprudence of Parliament and the politics of India while claiming the position of LoP to the Speaker of the lower house.

The Congress spokesperson also said that the Attorney General calls attention to a convention that is by no means a statuary rule and needs to be broken.

The former union minister drew attention to the fact that since 1993, when Human Rights Commission was set up by a Parliament legislation, the leader of opposition has been playing an important role in sensitive appointments that affects the direction of India.

Denying the Leader of Opposition position to Congress party is tantamount to stiffling the voice of opposition. Such a government will be majoritarian and authoritarian in character. Without LoP the goverment would be undemocratic as democracy means there has to be a ruling party and an opposition party, said Tewari.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi reportedly said that he is not surprised by what the AG's advice. The AG has not only repeated the government's stand but also said what the government would like to hear from him.

The NDA government and the Congress has been going through a tussle over the issue of Leader of the Opposition in lower house ever since the 16th Lok Sabha was formed.

(AW: Pratima Tigga)