YS Jagan seeks High Court intervention for Leader of Opposition status !!!

Andhra Pradesh:- YS Jaganmohan Reddy, leader of the YSR Congress Party’s Legislators, has approached the High Court seeking an order directing the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly and the Secretary of the Speaker to grant him the status of Leader of the Opposition. Speaker Ayyannapatrudu and Legislative Affairs Minister Payyavula Keshav are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

In his petition, Jagan alleges that Speaker Ayyannapatrudu has remained silent on the matter, while Minister Payyavula initially responded but has not made a conclusive decision. Jagan emphasized the crucial role of an opposition leader in raising public issues and ensuring the rule of law in the state, arguing that power must be exercised within constitutional principles.

Jagan contends that the current legislative assembly has no other opposition voice, thus entitling him to the position. He cited precedents where parties with less than 10% of the total seats were still granted the main opposition status, such as the Congress party in 1994 and the BJP in Delhi in 2015. He pointed out that the Constitution does not mandate a specific percentage of seats for opposition status.

In his plea, Jagan highlighted his efforts to communicate the need for his recognition as the Leader of the Opposition, noting that political biases have hindered this process. He requested the High Court to intervene and issue orders to formally grant him the status, as per the Andhra Pradesh Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualifications Act.