Is Leader of Opposition post covered in proposed law on removal of PM, CMs: Parliamentary panel

Rahul Gandhi is the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha

• Committee members questioned if LoP post is covered under proposed removal law
• Experts were asked to submit written opinions on bills to the parliamentary panel.
• Some opposition parties boycotted the committee, citing presumption of innocence

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Members of a parliamentary committee on Wednesday sought to know whether the office of the Leader of Opposition, a statutory post, came within the ambit of a proposed law for the removal of the prime minister and chief ministers from their posts if they fail to get bail within a month of arrest in serious criminal matters.

The Joint Committee, chaired by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, which is examining The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, The Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, heard the views of Law Commission Chairman Dinesh Maheshwari and others.

Vice Chancellor of National Law University, G S Bajpai, and the Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad-based National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), Sri Krishna Deva Rao, also appeared before the Joint Committee.

A parliamentary source said several members sought to know whether the Leader of Opposition could be removed from the post if he fails to secure bail within a month if arrested on serious criminal charges.

A leader from the opposition ranks made a strong pitch for inviting leaders of political parties, who are not part of the joint committee, to express their views on the three draft laws. A section of the committee members did not agree with the view expressed by the opposition member.

NCP leader Supriya Sule, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal and YSRCP member S Niranjan Reddy are the only opposition members in the 31-committee.

Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, Shiv Sena-UBT and AAP have refused to be part of the committee contending that the bills violate the fundamental principle of law that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Sarangi told reporters that the experts who appeared before the Committee on Wednesday have been asked to make written submissions to the panel.