A Minister’s monthly salary is less than that of a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and therefore arrested Minister V. Senthilbalaji would actually be receiving more salary if he is removed from the Cabinet as demanded by a group of litigants, Advocate-General R. Shunmugasundaram argued before the Madras High Court on Friday.
Appearing before the First Division Bench of Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu, he said an MLA is entitled to a monthly salary of ₹1.05 lakh, apart from the sitting fees paid every day when the Assembly was in session, whereas the monthly salary of an MLA elevated to the post of Minister was only ₹76,800.
The Advocate-General, however, added that the Ministers do enjoy other privileges such as payments for their travel, government cars and so on. The submissions were made in reply to a complaint made by one of the petitioners that the arrested Minister, without portfolio, was continuously drawing salary from the public exchequer without performing any duty.
