Govt tells SC it may set up a committee

NEWDELHI: The Centre is considering setting up an independent commission to decide on salaries and allowances for lawmakers, the Supreme Court was informed Tuesday. Senior advocate Ajit Sinha appearing for the government, took a week’s time to come back with a concrete response after a bench of justices J Chelameswar and SK Kaul expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to take a “categorical stand” on the issue.

“Your affidavit does not make the stand clear whether you want the commission or not. What is the government’s view? Whether you want it or not, you must let us know about it,” the bench remarked when Sinha said the government was seriously pursuing the issue.

“Our affidavit filed last year says the matter is under consideration. But give me a week’s time. It is possible this exercise (hearing) may not be required at all,” Sinha submitted.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Lucknow-based NGO, Lok PRA- hari ,which has sought for setting-up of a permanent commission to compute allowances and salaries of sitting MPS and MLAS. The organization also wants an end to pension and other lifetime benefits extended to former MPS.

Lok Prahari’s SN Shukla argued that the government has been mulling at having the commission for over ten years. “It has not acted yet,” he submitted.

Justice Chelameswar, who authored last week’s verdict making it mandatory for candidates to disclose sources of their and their family members’ income, responded to Shukla’s argument. “In that case (sources of income) the government took a stand that the petitioner’s prayer is in the realm of legislative competence. However, going by news reports, leaders of all political parties have welcomed the verdict,” the judge said. The court gave two weeks time to the government and fixed March 6 to hear the matter.

Lok Prahari had first taken up the issue before the Allahabad High Court, which in April 2016, dismissed the petition challenging the constitutional validity of the amendments to the 1954 Act.