[Act, No. 56 of 2002] [17th December, 2002] An
Act further to amend the Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament Act,
1953 and the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act,
1977. BE
it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-third Year of the Republic of India as
follows:- (1) This Act may be called the Salaries and Allowances
of Officers of Parliament and Leaders of Opposition in Parliament (Second
Amendment) Act, 2002. (2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the
17th day of September, 2001. In section
6 of the Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament Act, 1953, for
sub-section (1A), the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:- "(1A) On and from the commencement of the
Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament and Leaders of Opposition in
Parliament (Second Amendment) Act, 2002, an officer of Parliament and his
family whether travelling together or separately, shall be entitled to
travelling allowance at the same rates and for the same number of return
journeys as admissible to a Minister and his family under sub-section (1A)
of section 6 of the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 1952
(58 of 1952).". In section
5 of the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act,
1977, for sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be substituted,
namely:- "(2) On and from the commencement of the
Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament and Leaders of Opposition in
Parliament (Second Amendment) Act, 2002, a Leader of the Opposition and his
family, whether travelling together or separately, shall be entitled to
travelling allowance at the same rates and for the same number of return
journeys as admissible to a Minister and his family under sub-section (1A) of section
6 of the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 1952 (58 of
1952).". STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS In
a Parliamentary democracy, the leader of the opposition has an important role
to play. In the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, the leader of the
opposition has been accorded statutory recognition. In India, a number of
States have started giving facilities and amenities to the leaders of the
opposition in the State Legislative Assemblies. Having regard to the important
role of the leader of the opposition in a Parliamentary democracy, it is
considered that the Leaders of Opposition in the House of the People and the
Council of States should be accorded statutory recognition and given salary and
certain other facilities and amenities to enable them to discharge their
functions in Parliament. The Bill mainly seeks to achieve the above objects. 2.
Certain consequential amendments to the Salary, Allowances and Pension of
Members of Parliament Act, 1954 and the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification)
Act, 1959 are also being proposed in the Bill.SALARIES AND
ALLOWANCES OF OFFICERS OF PARLIAMENT AND LEADERS OF OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT
(SECOND AMENDMENT) ACT, 2002
PREAMBLE