Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge has defended the claim of his party for the post of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. He has said the claim is based on legal grounds and provisions of the law.
He told presspersons here on Saturday that while the Congress was claiming the post based on the provisions of the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977, the government was relying on precedents and directions given in Parliament on granting the post.
Mr. Kharge said directions and precedents on granting the post cannot overrule the provisions of the Act and the Congress was on a firm legal ground. The government’s argument that the post should be given to the party which had 10 per cent of the strength of the House was only a direction given in Parliament on earlier occasions and it cannot become law, he said.
Asked if the party would seek legal recourse to buttress its claim, Mr. Kharge said, “Let us wait for the decision of the Lok Sabha Speaker before considering other options.”
