Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday withdrew four bills introduced in December to triple salaries of MPs, ministers, Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
In an official letter, State Assembly Secretary Satyabrata Raut informed the members that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling had given notice to withdraw the four amendments, which had sparked widespread discontent across the state.
The bills scheduled for withdrawal include the Odisha Legislative Assembly Salaries, Allowances and Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Speaker of the House of Representatives Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Odisha Ministers’ Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The four pieces of legislation, passed in December 2025, proposed raising the monthly wage for legal assistants from approximately $1.11 lakh $3.45 thousand. Under the revised structure, the monthly salary of the Prime Minister was linked $3.74 lakh Deputy Chief Minister V.S $3.68 lakh Cabinet Ministers in $3.62 lakh and state ministers at $3.56 thousand. The speaker’s fee is set at $3.68 lakh, while the Deputy Speaker was scheduled to receive it $3.56 thousand. Both the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Government Whip have been allocated monthly packages $3.62 thousand.
The government had earlier defended the increase, saying the adjustment came after an eight-year gap and created inflationary pressures. However, the 211% increase sparked sharp criticism from citizens and the opposition, sparking a broader public debate about the timing and necessity of the move.
After the bills were passed, Biju Janata Dal chief and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik wrote to CM Majhi stating that he would give up the enhanced salary and allowances applicable to his post, a move that attracted attention in the state’s political discourse.
The development was followed by calls from lawmakers across party lines, including members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, urging the Prime Minister to reconsider the pay reviews of MPs, ministers and constitutional office holders.
