Often criticised for deciding their own salaries, Parliamentarians are now discussing handing over the tricky job to an independent commission.
The Modi government is mulling over setting up an Emoluments Commission which could determine the salary and other allowances of MPs without the intervention of Parliament or the government.
A parliamentary panel headed by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath recently mooted 100 per cent salary hike for Parliamentarians and 77 per cent increase in pensions, triggering a debate on whether elected representatives should decide their own wages.
A survey of 134 chambers of 104 Parliaments conducted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union found that only three Parliaments – Bhutan, Namibia and United Kingdom – had independent bodies to determine parliamentary salaries.
As many as 69 chambers indicated that it was the Parliament that determined parliamentary salaries, while 68 chambers, the salaries were fixed in reference to another salary scale.The issue of setting up of an emoluments commission is expected to be discussed at the All India Whips Conference at Vishakhapatanam next week.According to officials, the frequent disruption of Parliament and state legislatures had led to questions being raised over the pay and daily allowances payable for the day House was stalled .
Published 24 September 2015, 20:27 IST