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Mallikarjun Kharge inducted in key government panel

by IBNS 04 Nov 2014, 12:22 pm

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IBNS): Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge was inducted in a key panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, media reported.

According to reports, Kharge has been inducted into a three member selection committee which will select the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). The committee, headed by Prime Minister also includes Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, as the third member.

It has been learnt that decision to include Kharge has reportedly been taken on the advice of the Law Ministry. Kharge was previously was denied the post of Opposition leader by the ruling NDA, citing that Congress with 44 MPs didn't have the requisite bench-strength (54) to qualify as the opposition party of the Lok Sabha.

As per the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the selection of the CIC has to be done by a three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister. 

The Act says, in the absence of official opposition leader, the leader of the single largest group in opposition of the Government in the House shall be deemed to be the Leader of Opposition.

Since, Kharge is the leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, which is the single largest party in opposition, he was inducted in the panel. Kharge by virtue of this inductment, became the Leader of Opposition.