Consider the following statements:

 1. In the first Lok Sabha, the single largest party in the opposition was the Swatantra Party 

 2. In the Lok Sabha, a "Leader of the Opposition" was recognised for the first time in 1969. 

 3. In the Lok Sabha, if a party does not have a minimum of 75 members, its leader cannot be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition. 

 Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

 a) 1 and 3 only 

 b) 2 only 

 c) 2 and 3 only 

 d) 1, 2 and 3 

Solution: 

• The Communist Party of India (CPI) was the single largest opposition party in the First general Election held in 1951-52. 
• Historically, the first officially designated Opposition party in Parliament emerged from the break-up of the all dominant Congress party in power. 
• In 1969, when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, the Congress split to form the Indian National Congress (Requisitionists) and the Indian National Congress (Organisation). The Leader of INC(O), Ram Subhag Singh, became the first person to be formally recognised as LoP in the Lok Sabha. 
• A party must have at least 10 per cent of the strength of the House in order to qualify to be designated as a parliamentary party and the leader of the largest such parliamentary party in the opposition ranks is designated Leader of Opposition. 
• Thus, a party must have 55 seats in Lok Sabha to designate its leader as the Leader of Opposition. 

Ans: (b)