Karnataka withholds salaries of 21 MLAs over 'office of profit', creates history

Sitting MLAs who were also members of various cooperation and boards were found to be drawing dual salaries

Salaries of 21 Karnataka MLAs have been withheld after the legislative assembly secretariat's crackdown on 'office of profit. Salaries of 21 MLAs who are members of various boards, committees, and commissions were withheld after the legislature learned that they were drawing dual salaries.

"As per Karnataka legislators Salaries Act, if an MLA becomes a minister, he is entitled to avail compensation as a minister and not MLA. The purpose is to ensure that we claim one salary as per prerequisite of one post. Drawing salaries under two posts is illegal," said Karnataka Law Minister T B Jayachandran. On Monday, the accounts wing of state secretariat withheld the salaries of the MLAs. Payment of various allowances have also been stopped.

G Hampaiah Naik Ballatagi from Manvi, Malikaiah Venkaiah Guttedar from Afzalpur, RV Devaraj of Chickpet, K Venkatesh of Piriyapattana, Rajashekhar B Patil from Humnabad, MTB Nagaraj from Hoskote, Feroz Sait MLA of Belagavi North, K Gopal Poojary of Byndur, C Puttaranga Shetty from Chamarajanagar, Rahim Khan from Bidar, K Vasanth Bangera MLA from Belthangadi, BR Yavagal from Naragund, MK Somashekhar of Krishnaraja, GS Patil from Ron, Shivananda Patil of Basavana Bagewadi, Hampanagoud Badarli of Sindhanur HR Alagura from Nagathana, D Sudhakar MLA from Hiriyur, Baburao Chinchansur from Gurumithkal, NY Gopalakrishna from Ballari, Sharada Mohan Shetty from Kumata are on the government's list of MLAs who also hold office as members of various boards, corporations, and committees.

While the move came as a shock to most of the 21 MLAs, some of them claim to have been wrongly targeted. Ballari Rural MLA N Y Gopalakrishna claimed that his name was enlisted despite drawing only one salary. "I am only drawing one salary from the board of which I am a member. I am surprised that my name has been listed too. I do not draw the salary for being an MLA," he said.

This is the first time in the history of Karnataka that salaries of legislators have been withheld. The MLAs, after being appointed to boards, were given cabinet rank and paid several allowances such as house rent, traveling, furniture, telephone and medical. Despite that, some had written to the accounts department seeking compensation as MLAs. Taking note of the discrepancy, legislature secretariat officials sought a legal opinion from the Advocate General of Karnataka and Accountant General of Karnataka. He clarified that the provisions of Section 13 of the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pension and Allowance Act 1956 would apply to Chairman of a Board or a Corporation and, therefore, they will not be additionally entitled to the salary, allowances or any other benefit; provided to them as the MLA.

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