Congress seeks four front-row seats in Lok Sabha for Rahul Gandhi, others
The Congress, which has 99 lawmakers in the Lower House, submitted the request to the office of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The Congress has sought front-row seats in the Lok Sabha for its four members — leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal, Jorhat lawmaker Gaurav Gogoi and Mavelikkara MP Kodikunnil Suresh, two senior Lok Sabha officials said.
The party, which has 99 lawmakers in the Lower House, has submitted the request to the office of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the final authority to decide on the allotment of seats in the House.
While Rae Bareli MP Gandhi, as the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is entitled to a designated front-row seat, set to be right opposite defence minister Rajnath Singh’s seat, the improved performance of the Congress in the 18th Lok Sabha with 99 MPs can help the party get three more front-row seats.
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The Samajwadi Party, the third largest party in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and the Congress, might get two front-row seats that the party has requested for its president and floor leader Akhilesh Yadav and Faizabad lawmaker Awadhesh Prasad. DMK’s senior-most lawmaker TR Baalu will also get a front-row seat.
“Most of the parties have sent their list of preferred seats. Lok Sabha Speaker will allot seat of division numbers to all MPs,” an official told HT, requesting anonymity.
Considered coveted, front-row seats are usually earmarked for senior members and floor leaders.