'Leader of Opposition issue to be decided in four days'

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Wednesday said she would take a decision on the Leader of Opposition issue within four days.

"I will see all the rules and also the letter of attorney general. I have to see what's there and what is not," she told media persons here.

Mahajan added: "The speaker cannot do anything...I have to go by the rules. Within one to four days, I'm expecting a decision on this."

She pointed out instances when there was no Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

In a setback to the Congress's desire to have its leader in the Lok Sabha given the Leader of Opposition status, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi has held that the party cannot get the recognition as rules require that the party should have at least one-tenth of the total strength of parliament's lower house.

Rohatgi, in his opinion to Mahajan, said that Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress leader in the house, cannot be recognised as Leader of Opposition as the party's strength was only 44 while one-tenth of the total strength of the house is 55.