Section 4 of The Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977
Residence for Leaders of Opposition.
- (1)Each Leader of the Opposition shall, so long as he continues as such Leader and for a period of one month immediately thereafter, be entitled without payment of rent to the use of a furnished residence and no charge shall fall on the Leader of the Opposition personally in respect of the maintenance of such residence.
- (2)In the event of the death of a Leader of the Opposition, his family shall be entitled to the use of the furnished residence occupied by him--
- (a)for a period of one month immediately after his death, without payment of rent and no charge shall fall on his family in respect of the maintenance of such residence; and
- (b)for a further period of one month, on payment of rent at such rates as may be prescribed by rules made in this behalf by the Central Government and also charges in respect of electricity and water consumed in that residence during such further period. Explanation.--For the purposes of this section, "residence" includes the staff quarters and other buildings appurtenant thereto, and the garden thereof, and "maintenance" in relation to a residence includes the payment of local rates and taxes and the provision of electricity and water.
Summary
- Every Leader of the Opposition gets a rent free furnished house during their term and for one month after leaving office.
- The leader does not pay any maintenance fees, which legally includes local rates and taxes, along with the provision of electricity and water.
- The residence (which includes staff quarters, surrounding buildings, and the garden) is kept up without costing the leader anything.
- If a leader dies in office, their family can stay in the rent free house for one month immediately after their death.
- The family can stay for a second month if they pay rent at rates set by the government, along with actual electricity and water costs.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. How long can a Leader of the Opposition stay in the official home after leaving office?
They can stay for a period of one month immediately after they cease to be the leader.
2. What is included under the term "residence" in this section?
It includes the main house, staff quarters, other connected buildings, and the garden.
3. What does "maintenance" mean, and who pays for it during the leader's term?
Maintenance includes local rates, taxes, electricity, and water, and no charge falls on the leader personally.
4. What happens to the official house if the Leader of the Opposition dies?
The family can stay rent free and maintenance free for one month, and they can stay for one more month if they pay rent, electricity, and water.
Test yourself
1.How long is a Leader of the Opposition entitled to use a rent free furnished residence after leaving office?
2.Under Section 4, what is included in the definition of "maintenance"?
3.If a Leader of the Opposition dies, how long can their family occupy the residence without paying any rent or maintenance?
4.What must the family of a deceased leader pay if they choose to stay for a second month?
5.What does the term "residence" include under this section?