The post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha assumed greater significance after several legislations enacted during the UPA rule in the last decade had made the LoP a member of several appointment committees, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B.S. Gnanadesikan said.
Addressing the media in Madurai on Sunday, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the Centre was trying to give a legal sanction for the Lok Sabha Speaker not giving the LoP status to the Congress, which has the maximum number of seats among the Opposition parties.
The appointment of members to Lok Pal, Comptroller and Auditor General and in implementing police reforms among other appointments has to be made by a committee in which the LoP is a member. The Attorney General saying that the status need not be accorded to any party citing precedence was only to make it appear that it was legally correct. “The power of according LoP status vested with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha only. Whether it is right or wrong, the decision should be made by the Speaker … and not by the government,” he said.
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“How is the Centre going to make appointments to these important posts without the LoP? Is it going to make amendments in those legislations?” Mr. Gnanadesikan asked.
On the controversy surrounding the extension given by the UPA Government to a “corrupt” High Court Judge as alleged by former Supreme Court Judge Markandey Katju, Mr. Gnanadesikan said that the Prime Minister’s office had not put in any pressure in favour of the said judge.
It was only a regular procedure in the government for the PMO to seek explanation on the issue. “As a Senior Lawyer, I deny that there was anything wrong in the issue. If at all there was anything wrong, the collegium, which is responsible for the appointment, is to blame,” he said.
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