Seven independent legislators of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) have asked Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai to summon special Assembly session to review the existing salaries of legislators, a party leader said on Tuesday.
ZPM legislature party leader Lalduhoma said that they have called on the Governor on Monday evening asking him to summon special session to review the existing salaries of 40 MLAs as the state is grappling with financial crisis amid coronavirus spread.
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He said that they told the governor that re-allocation as well deduction of allocated fund from the budget estimate can be done and the financial position of the state could be reviewed if a special session is summoned.
Lalduhoma said that they felt illogical to enjoy lucrative pay at a time when the state is facing financial shortage due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus.
The Zo people’s Movement Legislature Party was initially called Zoram People’s Movement Partly Legislature.
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ZPM was an electoral alliance formed by minor parties ahead of 2018 assembly polls. All the nominees of the alliance fought the elections as independent and 7 of them had successfully contested the assembly polls.
However, the party was registered as a single political party last year.
Once the alliance was registered as political party state assembly speaker Lalrinliana Sailo dissolved the Zoram People’s Movement Legislature Party and asked them to form a new legislature party with a different name. Hence the seven MLAs formed Zo People’s Movement Legislature Party.
In November last year, the state assembly had passed a bill seeking a hike in the monthly salary and allowances of MLAs by a whopping 130.77 per cent.
According to “The Mizoram Salaries, Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Act,” which came into effect from April this year, the chief minister draws a monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.84 lakh while the assembly speaker receives Rs 1.73 lakh. Cabinet ministers and leaders of the opposition enjoy monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.68 lakh.
Deputy speaker receives a monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.61, minister of states and deputy chief whip draw Rs 1.57 lakh per month and other MLAs receive Rs 1.5 lakh salary and allowances every month.
Before enactment of the law, legislators enjoyed monthly salary and allowances of only Rs 65,000.
Meanwhile, Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) party urged all the legislators to stand in solidarity with the seven MLAs in holding a special session to review the state’s annual budget.