In many states of the country, the public pays the income tax of ministers and MLAs. Their income tax is paid from the government treasury. Now voice has been raised against it in Telangana. Know what is the law in UP, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal.
Ministers and MLAs are there to serve the public. But even today in many states of the country, the income tax of the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and other honorable people is paid from the government treasury. This ‘custom’ has been going on for years, which has now been challenged in Telangana. In a PIL filed in the High Court, it has been demanded that why should the income tax of those who come to power by becoming MLAs with our votes, be paid with our own money? On this, Telangana High Court has issued a notice to the state government and asked why this practice should not be stopped. A few months ago, the Madhya Pradesh government had completely banned a similar practice. UP and Himachal Pradesh governments have also abolished such exemption.
Government pays income tax of these people
In fact, in Telangana, apart from the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, the income tax of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Deputy Speaker, Chairman of the Legislative Council, Deputy Chairman and all cabinet rank government advisors is paid from the government treasury. Calling it an arbitrary expenditure of public money, Forum for Good Governance NGO has challenged it in the High Court. Their demand is that these provisions of Section 3 (4) of the Andhra Pradesh Salary and Pension Payment and Disqualification Act, 1953 should be abolished. Chief Minister, Ministers and all other people should pay their income tax themselves.
When they also get salary like everyone else…
The division bench of Telangana High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar considered it a serious matter. The court asked the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (GAD) to file their reply soon. The petitioner argues that the Chief Minister, Ministers and others are public servants. They get salary from the state government. When they are paid a salary, they are liable to pay income tax like all other citizens. When the state was divided, the Telangana government changed the law and made its own law. Since then the government has been paying everyone’s income tax. This law should be repealed.
UP-MP-Himachal have already finished
- Himachal Pradesh Cabinet had changed the law in 2022. It was clearly said that all the ministers and MLAs will pay their income tax from their own pockets. The government is not going to give a single penny for this.
- In 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government had amended the law exempting the Chief Minister and other ministers from paying income tax. Now all the ministers and MLAs here pay their own income tax.
- Madhya Pradesh government decided a few months ago that the ministers of the state will pay their salaries and allowances themselves. This abolished the law made in 1972, under which the state government used to pay their income tax from the emergency fund.
Tags: Income tax, Income tax india, Income tax law, Income tax slabs
FIRST PUBLISHED : July 18, 2024, 7:58 PM IST