Party with requisite no gets LoP status: Prasad

Amid demands by Congress to get the post of Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said the "well-settled" principle has been that the post is given to a party with the requisite numbers.
"As a student of Indian parliamentary practices and as a MP for the last 14 years, these are my personal views that the party with 10 per cent (of the total number of members in the Lok Sabha) gets the post. It is a well-settled principle. But let me clarify that the call has to be taken by the Speaker," he said.

Responding to a question on Congress' plans to move court if it is denied LoP status, he said in India anyone can go to court.
Since 1953, he said, there have been decisions of the Speaker on the issue of LoP. He said between 1971 and 1977 there was no LoP. Again, between 1980 to 89 there was no LoP.
"In all these 60 years, the same rule...You must have 10 per cent, based upon that well-settled principle. The decision had to be taken by Speakers of various shades...Therefore, if it is to be changed, there must be reasons for it...There has to be some norm. If 44, why not 34. Then why not 24...There has to be some well-established norm," he said.

Taking a dig, he said the effort Congress is making to move court on the issue, if the same energy they had spent earlier their numbers would not have been reduced to 44.
Responding to questions on the role of LoP in the proposed National Judicial Commission and Lokpal selection committee, he said first the issue of LoP has to be decided. We'll see. But first let us wait for the decision of the Speaker," he said.