GUWAHATI: Gauhati High Court has upheld the Assam Legislative Assembly’s order derecognising Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and Nazira legislator, Debabrata Saikia as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
A single-judge bench of Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua on Wednesday dismissed Saikia’s writ petition challenging the Assembly notification (issued on January 1, 2021) withdrawing the recognition given to the Congress MLA as the Leader of Opposition in 2016.
With the latest court ruling, Saikia has lost his status of Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly.
The senior Congress leader’s recognition as the Leader of Opposition was withdrawn as the strength of Congress in the state Assembly was reduced to less than one-sixth of the total strength of 126 members in the House.
Earlier, the Assembly order was challenged in the High Court by Saikia, leading to its stay till the final hearing on Wednesday.