Cuttack, Dec 24: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday declined to interfere with the three-fold hike in salaries and allowances of Odisha legislators, dismissing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the move as premature since the Bills are yet to receive the Governor’s assent.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M.S. Raman rejected the PIL filed by advocate Kabita Patra, which questioned the constitutional validity of the Odisha Legislative Assembly Members’ Salary, Allowances and Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Advocate Srinivas Mohanty appeared for the petitioner. The court observed that judicial review cannot be exercised at the pre-assent stage of a Bill. Accepting the submission of Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, who appeared for the State, the bench held that a Bill passed by the legislature cannot be challenged before it becomes law.
“The petition is not maintainable as it is premature for the petitioner to challenge the Bill before the assent of the Governor,” the bench said.
The petitioner had contended that the PIL was filed at the pre-assent stage to enforce constitutional safeguards and prevent irreversible fiscal consequences on public funds, as the proposed revision would result in a recurring charge on the Consolidated Fund of the State
The controversial legislation, passed by the Odisha Assembly on December 9 through four Bills, proposes a substantial increase in the remuneration of MLAs.
As per the amendment, an MLA’s monthly salary has been revised from ₹35,000 to ₹90,000, while allowances—including constituency, conveyance, non-duty travel, books, electricity, medical and telephone—have been increased from ₹65,000 to ₹2.55 lakh.
With the revision, the total monthly package of an Odisha MLA would rise to ₹3.45 lakh, making them the highest-paid legislators in the country.
The revised pay structure is to be implemented retrospectively from June 5 last year, entitling each legislator to arrears of around ₹65 lakh.
Currently, MLAs in Telangana and Maharashtra draw monthly packages of about ₹2.5 lakh, while legislators in Gujarat receive around ₹1.10 lakh and those in Delhi about ₹90,000.
