Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Official Opposition, LoP
Mains level: Parliamentary Conduct and decorum of the houses
The 60-member Nagaland Assembly now has no MLA in the Opposition.
Official Opposition
- It is a term used in Parliament and State Legislatures to designate the political party which has secured the second largest number of seats in either upper or lower houses.
- In order to get formal recognition in either upper or lower houses, the concerned party must have at least 10% of the total strength of the house.
- A single party has to meet the 10% seat criterion, not an alliance.
- Many of the Indian state legislatures also follow this 10% rule while the rest of them prefer the single largest opposition party according to the rules of their respective houses.
Why study the Opposition?
- The Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu recently broke down when he condemned the violent ruckus that erupted in the Upper House very recently.
- This has raised questions about the decency of the conduct of our elected representatives.
Role of the Opposition
- The role of the opposition in the legislature is basically to check the excesses of the ruling or dominant party, and not to be totally antagonistic.
- Their main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. This also helps to fix the mistakes of the Ruling Party.
- The Opposition is equally responsible for upholding the best interests of the people of the country.
- They have to ensure that the Government does not take any steps, which might have negative effects on the people of the country.
In the legislature, Opposition Party has a major role, which is:
- Constructive criticism of the government.
- Putting restriction of the arbitrariness of ruling party
- Safeguarding liberty and right of people
- Preparation to form a government
- Expression of public opinion
Leader of the Opposition
- They are the politicians who lead the official opposition in either House of the Parliament of India.
- The LoP is the parliamentary chairperson of the party with the most seats after the government party.
- S/He is given the status of a minister in recognition of his importance.
- The LoP received statutory recognition through the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.
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