Delhi LG approves 66% hike in MLAS’ pay, first since 2011
If the bill is passed, lawmakers in the Union Territory will be paid ₹90,000 a month, up from the existing ₹54,000, an official in Delhi assembly said
NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved a bill for a 66.67% salary hike for Delhi lawmakers, who are among the lowest-paid legislators in India. The Delhi government has called a two-day session of the Delhi assembly from Monday where a bill on the revision of legislators’ salary and allowances will likely be tabled and passed paving the way for the salary hike pending for nearly seven years.
If the bill is passed, lawmakers in the Union territory will be paid ₹90,000 a month, up from the existing ₹54,000, an official in Delhi assembly said.
The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), in the first week of May, signed off on the increase, paving the way for the revision.
“The LG has recently approved a proposal for increasing the salary and allowances of MLAS from the existing Rs 54000 per month to Rs 90,000 per month. Accordingly, a bill for the hike of salary and allowances is likely to be tabled in the upcoming assembly session and passed,” added the official cited above.
According to the proposal, which has been reviewed by HT the salary and allowances of chief minister and ministers, speaker, deputy speaker, chief whip and the leader of opposition will increase from the existing ₹72,000 to ₹170,000, and that lawmakers, from ₹54,000 to ₹90,000.
After the Bill is passed in the legislative assembly, it will need the approval of the President of India.
“The Assembly secretariat will forward the passed Bill to the department of law, justice and legislative affairs of the Delhi government which will forward it to the LG’S office from where it will be forwarded to the President through the ministry of home affairs,” said another assembly official who too asked not to be named.
The Delhi government in December 2015 proposed ₹2.10 lakh a month as salary and allowances for the MLAS, but the MHA did not agree with the proposal.
In August 2021, the MHA approved an increase in salary and allowances of Delhi’s lawmakers to ₹90,000 a month, excluding reimbursements, a 66.67% increase, from the current ₹54,000.
On May 5 this year the then LG Anil Baijal’s office forwarded a letter to the department of law, justice and legislative affairs of the Delhi government from the MHA regarding the salary revision. The letter said the MHA has given “prior approval” of the central government for the introduction of legislative proposals related to salaries and allowances of the legislators.
Now, Saxena has approved the bill.
Chief whip of Delhi assembly and AAP MLA Dilip Pandey said the salary of the MLAS in Delhi is among the lowest in the country even though the cost of living in the national capital is among the highest.
“The bill was stuck with the Centre for the last seven years, from 2015 to 2022, and the MLAS of Delhi have been getting only ₹12,000 as salary (excluding allowances) while inflation has skyrocketed.