Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 22: The Karnataka Assembly has approved a substantial revision in salaries, pensions, and allowances for legislators and ministers, despite the state government citing financial constraints. The ‘Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions, and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025,’ was passed on the final day of the budget session on Friday, sparking criticism and debate.

The bill proposes a 100% salary increase for the chief minister, raising it from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.50 lac, while ministers will see a 108% hike, from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.25 lac. Legislators' salaries will double from Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000. Additionally, the rental allowance for ministers has been revised from Rs 1.20 lac to Rs 2.50 lac.

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Chairman of the Legislative Council will now receive a monthly salary of Rs 1.25 lac, up from Rs 75,000, while their allowances have been increased from Rs 4 lac to Rs 5 lac. Former legislators will also benefit, with their pensions rising from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000. The annual travel allowance for flights and railways has been increased to Rs 3.50 lac from Rs 2.50 lac.

The bill received Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s approval on Thursday and was tabled without delay. The government is expected to bear an additional financial burden of Rs 62 crore due to these revisions. This development comes after the previous salary revision in 2022 when the BJP-led government set a policy to review legislators’ salaries every five years. The demand for a pay hike had been raised in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) before the bill's introduction.