Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of the General Administration Department, directing them to respond to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenges the state government’s practice of paying income tax for the chief minister, cabinet ministers, and other officials holding cabinet-rank positions.
The PIL questioned the legality and propriety of the government using public funds to cover the personal income tax liabilities of these political leaders and high-ranking officials.
Soma Srinivas Reddy, representing the Forum for Good Governance, filed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court.
The PIL argued that individuals who earn income should be responsible for paying their own income tax, rather than the state government.
Reddy contended that the practice of the state paying income tax for high-ranking political officials, including the chief minister and his council of ministers, as well as other officials like the chairpersons of state-run corporations and advisors to the government, is illegal and arbitrary.
This practice is enabled by Section 3(4) of the Telangana Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualifications Act, which was adopted from the parent legislation of Andhra Pradesh.
The petitioner is challenging the legal validity of this section and seeking the court’s intervention to set aside this provision.
The petitioner argued that this is a matter of public interest, as it involves how taxpayer money is being spent by the government.
The Income Tax Act requires individuals receiving remuneration to pay their own income tax, so the government paying this tax on their behalf may be illegal.
Several other states have stopped the practice of paying income tax for the chief minister, ministers, and other cabinet-rank officials.
