Social activist seeks‘One politician, One pension’ rule

Tirupati: A call for reform in lawmakers’ pension entitlements has reached the highest level of Parliament, with social activist V Ganesh of Wakeup Democracy submitting a petition to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during the National Conference of Parliamentary and Legislative Committees on Empowerment of Women held in Tirupati.

Ganesh demanded that legislators and parliamentarians be restricted to a single pension, arguing that several leaders draw benefits both from the Centre and the States.

“There are instances where one person receives pensions as a former MP as well as an ex-MLA or MLC. This dual entitlement is unfair and drains public money,” his petition noted.

The activist has sought amendments to the Salaries, Allowances and Pensions of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, which currently does not prevent multiple pensions. The law, framed in the early years after Independence, has undergone numerous revisions over the decades, but Ganesh pointed out that it still lacks provisions to stop leaders from claiming pensions under both central and state legislations.

Calling it a matter of equity, Ganesh said a ‘one politician, one pension’ policy would lighten the burden on the exchequer while bringing a sense of accountability. “Our request is simple – no leader should be entitled to more than one pension,” he said, urging Parliament to take the proposal seriously. He said that Speaker Om Birla reacted positively on receiving the memorandum.