UPSC Prelims 2018 Question:

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?

Explanation:

•  The Indian National Congress party won 364 of the 489 seats in the first Lok Sabha and finished way ahead of any other challenger. The Communist Party of India that came next in terms of seats won only 16 seats. So, statement 1 is not correct.
  
  
• The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were accorded statutory recognition in 1977. Though, It was in 1969 that an official Leader of the Opposition was recognised for the first time. Ram Subhag Singh from Indian National Congress was the first Leader of the Opposition to get recognition in the Indian Parliament.  So, statement 2 is correct.
  
  
•  The leader of the largest Opposition party having not less than one-tenth seats of the total strength of the House is recognised as the Leader of the Opposition in that House. So, statement 3 is not correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: Polity | Parliament