The President Ramnath Kovind has given his assent to the ordinance which puts into effect a 30 percent salary cut for all Members of Parliament.
The deduction will be applicable for all MPs including the Prime Minister and and members of the Union Council of Ministers.
The Ministry of Law and Justice on Thursday issued the Ordinance to amend the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 1952, called the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to take emergency measures.
The decision to impose a cut was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on last Monday as India, along with the rest of the world struggles to fight the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic which has had great impact on the health of the people and the economy of the country.
The Ordinance, taking note of the the importance of certain emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of Corona virus, and to manage and control the situation, states that resources need to be raised by reduction of sumptuary allowances of Minsters.
Therefore, the sumptuary allowance payable to each Minister under Section 5 of the Act of 1952, shall be reduced by thirty percent for a period of one year commencing from the 1stApril 2020, in order to meet the exigencies arising out of Corona Virus pandemic.
The Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 1952 is an Act enacted by the Parliament to provide for the salaries and allowances of Ministers. The Act provides for various allowances to be provided to each Minister, including their salaries every month, the rate at which the salary has to be paid, sumptuary allowance, a constituency allowance, etc.
Section 5 of the Act lays down the provisions for sumptuary allowance to the Ministers. It states that a sumptuary allowance has to be paid to each Minister at the rates as mentioned under the section.
The Ministers and the rate at which sumptuary allowance is given to them under the Section are the following:
- Prime Minister – Rupees three thousand per mensem
- Every other Minister who is a Member of the Cabinet- Rupees two thousand per mensem;
- A Minister of State – Rupees one thousand per mensem
- a Deputy Minister – Rupees six hundred per mensem
The current amendment Ordinance has been promulgated by the President of India, in exercise of his powers under Article 123 of the Constitution.
-India Legal Bureau