The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979

GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT

LEGISLATIVE AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT

The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979

(Gujarat Act No. 16 of 1979)

(As modified upto the 30 th September, 2024.)

( Price : `. 15-00 )

2 The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979. [1979 : Guj. 16

1979 : Guj. 16] The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979. 3

GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT

LEGISLATIVE AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT

The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979

(Gujarat Act No. 16 of 1979)

(As modified upto the 30 th September, 2024.)

( Price : `. 15-00 )

GCPG-H-61-00-05-2024-DTP-2

4 The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979. [1979 : Guj. 16

©

Government Central Press, Gandhinagar.

1979 : Guj. 16] The Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979. 5

1979 : Guj. 16]

THE GUJARAT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION) SALARY AND ALLOWANCES ACT, 1979.

CONTENTS. PREAMBLE.

Sections. Page No.

(1) This Act may be called the Gujarat Legislative Assembly (Leader of the Opposition) Salary and Allowances Act, 1979. (2) This section shall come into force at once and the remaining provisions shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- (a) "Assembly" means the Gujarat Legislative Assembly; (b) "Leader of the Opposition" means that member of the Assembly who is for the time being the leader in the Assembly of the party in opposition to the State Government having the greatest numerical strength in the Assembly; (c) "rules" means rules made under this Act.

(1) There shall be paid to the Leader of the Opposition 25% more basic salary per month than the basic salary payable to a Member of the Assembly by virtue of the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Members’ Salaries and Allowances Act, 1960. (1A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), there shall be paid to the Leader of the Opposition 30 per cent. less basic salary per month for a period of twelve months commencing from the 1st April, 2020. (2) There shall be paid to the Leader of the Opposition during the whole of his term of office per month the dearness allowance on the amount of the basic salary referred to in sub-section (1) at such rate as is being paid to the employees of the State Government from time to time.

There shall be paid to the Leader of the Opposition during the whole of his term of office per month a sum of Rs. 20,000 as a consolidated allowance for all matters not specifically provided for by or under the provisions of this Act.

(1) The Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled without payment of rent, to the use of furnished residence in Gandhinagar so long as he is such a leader and for a period of fifteen days immediately after he ceases to be such a leader, or in lieu of such residence a house Allowance at the rate of Rs. 250/- per month. (2) No charge shall fall on the Leader of the Opposition personally in respect of the maintenance of any residence provided to him under sub-section (1). (3) The expenditure on furnishing the residence provided under sub-section (l) shall be on such scale as may be determined by rules.

(1) The State Government may, from time to time, for the use of the Leader of the Opposition, purchase and provide a motor car and other suitable conveyances upon such conditions as regards their maintenance and repairs as may be determined by rules made in this behalf. (1A) Where, under sub-section (1), the State Government has provided for the use of the Leader of the Opposition a motor car or other conveyance, it shall also provide to him, free of charge, the services of a driver for such car or conveyance. (2) There shall be paid to the Leader of the Opposition a conveyance allowance at the rate of Rs. 7,000 per month.

The Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled to travelling and daily allowance while touring on public business and suitable residential accommodation at places visited by him on such business, at such rates and upon such conditions as may be determined by rules.

(1) Subject to rules, the Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled to telephone and secretarial facilities. (2) There shall be paid to the Leader of the Opposition a sum of Rs. 10,000 per month to meet the cost of postal charges that may be incurred by him.

The Leader of the Opposition shall be provided with facilities which shall entitle him at any time to travel by first class or by second class airconditioned by railway in any part of India in such manner and subject to such conditions as may by rules or orders be prescribed in that behalf: Provided that such travel by railway in any part of India outside the State of Gujarat may be availed of by the Leader of the Opposition singly or jointly with his spouse and two other members of his family residing with and dependent on him, so however, that the total distance so travelled by the Leader of the Opposition singly in any year does not exceed 10,000 kilometres and the total distance so travelled jointly by the Leader of the Opposition and his spouse and two other members of his family residing with and dependent on him in any year does not exceed 20,000 kilometres. Explanation.- For the purpose of calculating the number of kilometres travelled by the Leader of the Opposition jointly with his spouse and two other members of his family residing with and dependent on him, outside the State of Gujarat, the number of kilometres travelled by him and by his spouse and two other members of his family residing with and dependent on him shall be counted seperately.

The Leader of the Opposition may undertake or perform journey alongwith co-traveller by air from the nearest airport from his residence to and fro in any part of India on three occassions in each year: Provided that difference between the fare for journey by air and the fare for journey by railway by first class or by second class air conditioned, whichever is higher, shall be borne by the Leader of the Opposition.

Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force determining the salaries and allowances of members of the State Legislature, the Leader of the Opposition shall not be entitled to any salary or allowances under such law although he is a member of the Assembly, except the facilities of free transit by railway and by road transport service as provided in sections 5B and 6 of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Members' Salaries and Allowances Act, 1960.

For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that a person shall not be disqualified for being chosen as, or for being a member of the Assembly merely by reason of the fact that he holds the office of the Leader of the Opposition.

The date on which any member of the Assembly became or ceased to be a Leader of the Opposition shall be published by the State Government in the Official Gazette, and any such notification shall be conclusive evidence of the fact that he became, or ceased to be a Leader of the Opposition on that date for all the purposes of this Act.

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— (a) the scale of expenditure on furnishing the residence under sub-section (3) of section 4; (b) the rates at which and conditions upon which the Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled to the travelling and daily allowance and suitable residential accommodation under section 6; (c) [ * * * ]; (d) the telephone and secretarial facilities admissible to a Leader of the Opposition under sub-section (1) of section 8. (3) All rules made under this section shall be laid for not less than thirty days before the State Legislature as soon as possible after they are made and shall be subject to rescission by the State Legislature or such modifications as the State Legislature may make during the session in which they are so laid, or the session immediately following. (4) Any rescission or modification so made by the State Legislature shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall thereupon take effect.

In the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Members’ Salaries and Allowances Act, 1960,- (a) In section 2,- (i) in sub-section (l), clause (bb) shall be deleted; (ii) sub-section (2) shall be deleted; (b) In section 8,- (i) in, sub-section (l), the words “not being the Leader of the Opposition” shall be deleted; (ii) sub-sections (2) to (4) shall be deleted.