Bhubaneswar: The Opposition BJD Friday urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to reconsider the proposed hike in salaries and allowances of lawmakers in the assembly, a day after ruling BJP MLAs made a similar request to the leader of the House.
The Odisha Assembly, on the concluding day of its Winter Session December 9, passed four Bills that proposed to increase by three times the salaries of MLAs, the chief minister, ministers, the Speaker, the deputy Speaker and others. The Bills were passed unanimously with the support of the BJP, BJD and Congress, though the lone CPI (M) member remained absent from the House and opposed it.
Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik, while addressing a press conference, said the request is being made respecting public sentiments against the hike.
“Keeping in view the popular sentiments over the proposed hike in the salaries and allowances of MLAs, the BJD requests the chief minister to reconsider it. Though we had supported the Bills in this regard, the request is being made as per the public perceptions,” she said.
Responding to a question, Mallik also made it clear that BJD president Naveen Patnaik, who had earlier announced that he would forgo the hike, has asked the party not to go against the public opinion.
BJD’s deputy chief whip P K Deb also said that though the party MLAs had supported the Bills in the assembly, now it has been decided to go by the public opinion, which is against the enhancement of the salary and allowance of lawmakers.
The BJP legislators, in a meeting Thursday, requested the chief minister to reconsider the proposal.
“The BJP MLAs, at a meeting with the chief minister here today, urged him to reconsider the proposed hike in the salaries and allowances of the lawmakers. They have written a letter requesting the CM to reconsider the move, respecting the public opinion,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling told reporters Thursday.
Bills passed in the assembly proposed to hike the monthly package of MLAs from Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 3.45 lakh. The Bills have been passed unanimously and sent to the governor for assent.
Several organisations, including CPI(M), have submitted petitions to the governor urging him not to give assent in view of adverse public opinion.
Social media users highlighted the income gap between legislators and the people they represent, noting that an MLA’s annual income now stands at about Rs 41.4 lakh.
Four Bills related to salary hike of lawmakers — Odisha Legislative Assembly Members’ Salary, Allowances and Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker’s Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Odisha Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker’s Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and The Odisha Ministers’ Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — are awaiting the governor’s assent.
PTI
