Mumbai: Even as the Maharashtra legislative assembly has not had a leader of opposition for the last three sessions, opposition parties may be unable to appoint a chief whip under a new government resolution as the strength of each of them is below the 10 per cent threshold.
A consolidated government resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday standardised the status, facilities and honorarium of chief whips and whips of political parties in the state legislature.
The GR made it clear that parties must have at least 10 per cent of the total House strength to be eligible to appoint a chief whip and a whip who are entitled to state-funded facilities.
The Speaker, meanwhile, has not yet accepted opposition parties’ demand to appoint a leader of opposition.
The strength of the Maharashtra assembly is 288. Of the ruling combine, the BJP has 132 MLAs, Shiv Sena 57 and the NCP 41.
Of the opposition parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 members, the Congress 16 and NCP (SP) 10. Smaller parties and independents together account for the remaining seats, including Samajwadi Party (2), JSS (2) and several parties with one MLA each.
Under the new norms, every party which is part of the government is entitled to appoint a chief whip and a whip, irrespective of its numerical strength.
Opposition and other parties, however, must cross the 10 per cent mark -- 29 MLAs -- to qualify for the same, a condition no single opposition party currently fulfils.
The GR issued by the Parliamentary Affairs Department consolidates earlier orders of 2018 and 2021.
While chief whips and whips are accorded the protocol rank of cabinet minister and minister of state, respectively, they are entitled only to a token monthly honorarium and limited facilities during Assembly sessions.
Officials said the facilities would be withdrawn immediately if a party ceases to meet the eligibility criteria.
“This is typical BJP government behaviour, denying basic decency to opposition parties,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant. Mpost