Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been elected as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, assuming his first constitutional role. The position has been vacant for the past 10 years as no opposition party met the minimum strength criteria for the position. .
As the Leader of the Opposition in the lower house, Rahul Gandhi will have key responsibilities like participating in the process of appointing officials like CBI Director, Chief Election Commissioners, National Human Rights Commission Chairman and Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
In selection committees for most of these appointments, the government has a 2:1 advantage as it consists of the Prime Minister and a Union Minister. But as Leader of the Opposition, Gandhi will have a say.
The 54-year-old leader is the third member of the Gandhi family to become the leader of the opposition. His father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was the Leader of the Opposition in 1989-90 when Vice President Singh’s government was in power. His mother and former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi held the post from 1999-2004 when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was in power.
As Leader of the Opposition, Gandhi will also enjoy the rank of a Cabinet Minister and get an office and staff in Parliament House.
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According to a government pamphlet available at the Parliamentary Library, “The Leader of the Opposition occupies a seat in the first row to the left of the Speaker. He also enjoys certain privileges on ceremonial occasions, such as escorting the President-elect to the podium and a front-row seat during the President’s address to both Houses of Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi as LoP will get a salary of Rs 3.3 crore. He will also be given security at the level of a cabinet minister. This may include the Z+ safety cover. According to an ABP report, he will get a government bungalow similar to that of a government minister.
