Telangana HC Questions State Funding of CM and Ministers' Income Tax

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has issued notice to the state government, seeking its contentions in a PIL challenging the practice of the public exchequer paying income-tax of the Chief Minister, Cabinet ministers and others.

The income-tax of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council and all government advisers with Cabinet rank is also paid from the public exchequer.

The Forum for Good Governance (NGO) had filed the PIL challenging the provisions under Section 3(4) of the AP Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualification Act, 1953 that states that income-tax payable by people in positions mentioned in the PIL shall be borne by the state government.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar, heard the PIL and directed the Chief Secretary and principal secretary (GAD) to file the counters.

The petitioner contended that the Chief Ministers and others were public servants and get their salary from the state. When they are paid salaries, they are liable to pay income-tax like all other citizens.

The petitioner submitted that after bifurcation, the Telangana government had adopted Section (4) of Section (3) of the AP Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualification Act, 1953 as amended, under which the state government is paying the income-tax of the public servants cited. The petitioner asked the High Court for a direction to set aside the provision.