Debabrata Saikia reinstated as Assam Opposition leader

His status was withdrawn more than a month ago after the number of Congress MLAs got reduced to 20

The Assam Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday reinstated Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia as the Leader of the Opposition.

His status was withdrawn through a notification on January 1 after the number of Congress MLAs in the 126-member House got reduced to 20. The minimum number required is 21.

In a fresh notification, the Assembly Secretariat said all facilities entitled to the Leader of the Opposition have been reinstated for Mr. Saikia, who had challenged the withdrawal of his status in the Gauhati High Court.

The court had on January 12 stayed the operation of the January 1 notification issued by the Assembly Secretariat.

The Congress had won 26 seats in the 2016 Assam Assembly election. The party’s current strength in the House is 19.