Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking Leader of Opposition (LoP) status. Justice Cheemalapati Ravi, heading a single-judge bench, has issued notices to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker and the Secretary of the Legislative Affairs Department regarding the matter.
Jagan’s legal counsel, S Sriram, petitioned the court to grant his client LoP status in the Assembly. The petition names Speaker Ch Ayyanna Patrudu and Minister for Finance and Legislative Affairs Payyavula Keshav as respondents in the case.
The court inquired about the authority responsible for deciding on LoP status and subsequently served notices to the relevant parties. Expressing a desire to hear both sides before reaching a decision, the court adjourned the next hearing for three weeks.
It’s worth noting that to receive formal recognition in the house, a political party must hold at least 10 percent of the total seats. Jagan’s YSRCP party won only 11 seats out of 175, falling short of this threshold.
-Sanyogita