Constitutional Impasse in Haryana: Advocate Nikhil Thamman Urges Congress to Appoint Leader of Opposition
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 15, 2025
Advocate Nikhil Thamman has called upon the top leadership of the Indian National Congress to urgently appoint a Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Haryana Legislative Assembly, highlighting a growing constitutional crisis in the state.
In a formal appeal addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Uday Bhan, Thamman stressed that the prolonged absence of a designated LoP—ongoing for over six months—is causing a governance deadlock and obstructing key statutory appointments.
The issue came to the fore during a recent hearing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in connection with Public Interest Litigation (PIL) CWP-PIL-76-2025 (O&M) titled Nikhil Thamman v. State of Haryana and Another. The PIL seeks the urgent appointment of Information Commissioners in the Haryana State Information Commission amid a growing backlog of RTI cases and functional paralysis of the Commission.
During the court proceedings, the Haryana Government’s counsel admitted that the delay in filling these posts was due to the non-appointment of a Leader of the Opposition—an essential member of the selection committee under the RTI Act and other laws.
“This is not merely a party matter—it is a constitutional obligation,” Advocate Thamman asserted, adding that the inaction is now obstructing appointments not only to the State Information Commission but also to other statutory bodies such as the Lokayukta and the Human Rights Commission. He warned that this continued delay is undermining transparency, governance, and citizens’ access to justice.
Thamman cited a recent Supreme Court judgment from January 2024 in a similar case in Jharkhand, where the Court directed the principal opposition party to appoint a Leader of the Opposition within two weeks. The directive led to the appointment of Babulal Marandi and expedited the selection process for key statutory roles.
In his representation, Advocate Thamman has urged the Congress to:
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Immediately nominate and notify a Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly.
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Communicate the appointment to the Speaker to enable reconstitution of the required selection committees.
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Demonstrate its commitment to democratic principles and public interest.
"The absence of a Leader of the Opposition is no longer a passive oversight—it has become an active obstruction to justice. As the largest opposition party in the Haryana Assembly, the Congress must fulfil its constitutional duty,” he said.