Bhubaneswar, March 26 (IANS) The Secretariat of the Odisha Legislative Assembly has formally notified members of the withdrawal of the controversial amendment bills that proposed a threefold increase in the salaries and allowances of legislators and ministers.

In an official communication, Secretary Satyabrata Rout informed all members that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling has given notice of his intention to move for leave to withdraw the amendments that had sparked widespread discontent in the state.

The bills proposed to be withdrawn include the Odisha Legislative Assembly Members’ Salary, Allowances and Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker’s Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Odisha Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker’s Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Odisha Ministers’ Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

It is worth noting that the four legislations, which were passed in December 2025, had sparked widespread public debate over the hike in salaries of Odisha ministers and MLAs by around threefold, with effect from June 5, 2024, and had drawn attention across the state due to the unprecedented scale of the increase.

Reports indicated that the Chief Minister’s monthly remuneration was slated to increase from Rs 98,000 to around Rs 3.74 lakh, while legislators’ pay was similarly projected to rise from about Rs 1 lakh to nearly Rs 3.45 lakh.

With the revision of salaries and pensions, Odisha’s MLAs also joined the ranks of the highest-paid legislators in the country, which led to a major public debate and attracted criticism from citizens from all walks of life, raising questions over the timing and necessity of the hike.

A few days after the passage of the bills, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in a letter addressed to CM Mohan Charan Majhi, announced that he would forego the salary and allowances hiked for the Leader of Opposition, taking a step that was widely noted in the state’s political discourse.

This was subsequently followed by appeals from legislators of both the ruling BJP and the main opposition BJD, urging CM Majhi to reconsider the state government’s decision to enhance the salaries and allowances of MLAs, ministers, the Chief Minister, the Speaker, and other constitutional office-bearers, reflecting widespread concern and prompting discussions across political and public platforms.

–IANS

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