Leader of Opposition status: Andhra Pradesh HC to hear Jagan Mohan Reddy’s plea in four weeks

The Andhra Pradesh High Court (HC) on Wednesday (September 24, 2025) posted YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and Pulivendula MLA Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s writ petition that challenged the Andhra Pradesh Legislature’s alleged refusal to confer Leader of the Opposition (LoP) status in the Assembly, for further hearing after four weeks, directing the respondents to file counters. 

The former CM argued that the ruling passed by the Speaker on February 5, 2025 on recognising him as LoP was illegal. It was mentioned in the impugned ruling that the leader of a party which lacks a minimum strength of 18 in the 175-member Legislative Assembly cannot be recognised as LoP and that it was improper to give LoP status to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy purely on discretion. 

NDA leaders slam former Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy over his remarks; condemn vindictive politics allegations

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy stated that administering of the oath to him after the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers were sworn in, was a break from the tradition and it gave him the impression that the decision not to grant him the LoP had already been taken with an intent to suppress the voice of the YSRCP, which won in only 11 Assembly constituencies in the 2024 general elections. 

He pointed out that the Speaker passed the said ruling when his earlier petition in the HC on the same matter (dated July 23, 2024) was pending. The prayer is for designating him as LoP as per Section 12-B of The A.P. Payment Of Salaries And Pension And Removal Of Disqualifications Act, 1953 or in the alternative, declaring him as LoP in the A.P. Legislative Assembly.