Arun Jaitley supports perks for former MPs

New Delhi: After opposition in Rajya Sabha expressed concern that the image of lawmakers was being tarnished, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday stated that Parliament alone has authority to decide on how much pension MPs can draw and inter-institutional discipline has to be respected.

The statement of the minister comes a day after the Supreme Court sought response from the Centre and the Election Commi-ssion of India on a plea seeking scrapping of pension and other perks of Members of Parliament.

“It is unquestionably a clear constitutional position that public money can only be spent with the authority of Parliament and, therefore, Parliament is the one and only authority that determines how public funds are to be spent,” he said.

“This is an authority of Parliament. No other institution can really exercise that power; it is only the Parliament which can exercise that power. Therefore, who is entitled to pension, what the quantum of pension is and so on, is an area which exclusively falls within the domain of the Parliament. That is the position of this government,” Jaitley said. Opposition members had expressed concern over the apex court’s reported comments that 80 per cent former law makers are ‘crorepatis’. “I understand the sentiments expressed by members and the Government would always stick to this position. I think, as part of inter-institutional  discipline, this is a constitutional position which all institutions will eventually have to respect,” the finance minister said.