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?

The correct option is 2 only.

Let us analyze each statement step-by-step to understand why only the second statement is correct:

Statement 1: In the first Lok Sabha, the single largest party in the opposition was the Swatantra Party.

This statement is incorrect. In the first Lok Sabha (elections held in 1951–52), the Indian National Congress won a massive majority. The single largest party in the opposition was the Communist Party of India (CPI), which secured 16 seats. The Swatantra Party was formed much later, in 1959.

Statement 2: In the Lok Sabha, a “Leader of the Opposition” was recognised for the first time in 1969.

This statement is correct. The Leader of the Opposition was recognized for the very first time in the Lok Sabha in 1969, when Ram Subhag Singh became the leader of the opposition party (Congress (O)). Statutory recognition was later given to the Leader of the Opposition under the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.

Statement 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.

This statement is incorrect. To be recognized as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the main opposition party must have at least 10% of the total strength of the House. Since the total strength of the Lok Sabha is 543, a party requires a minimum of 55 members (10% of 543), not 75 members.

Therefore, only Statement 2 is correct, making 2 only the right answer.