Coronavirus Update: Election Commissioners forgo 30% salary for a year

Coronavirus Update: The Election Commission of India, a constitutional body, took the decision after the number of active cases in India shot up to 7,987 with 308 deaths as of Monday.

The three election commissioners of India decided on Monday to forego 30% of their salary for a year in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, following the example of the president, vice-president, prime minister, the Union council of ministers and members of Parliament.

The Election Commission headquarter in New Delhi. (HTFile Photo)

The decision was taken at a meeting held between chief election commissioner Sunil Arora and election commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra.

Chandra said they decided to volunteer to take a salary cut in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “This is a voluntary and unanimous decision,” he said.

The Election Commission of India, a constitutional body, took the decision after the number of active cases in India shot up to 7,987 with 308 deaths as of Monday.

“The prime minister, president and vice-president have led by example, we are following in their footsteps,” Chandra added.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 6 cleared an ordinance to slash salaries of parliamentarians and ministers by 30% for one year in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that day that President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and governors had also offered to take the 30 percent cut in salaries.

Various state governments have already decided on salary cuts and other measures in the fight against the coronavirus. The Kerala government has decided to cut a month’s salary of all its staffers to raise funds for the state disaster relief fund.

Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa has given up a year’s salary to help the state fight the Covid-19 crisis. Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan too announced a cut in salaries of government employees . Maharashtra, which is bearing the brunt of the coronavirus crisis, has decided to pay the salaries in instalments.