By IANS,
Shimla : In a surprise move, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Tuesday withdrew four bills that proposed to increase the salaries of legislators and ministers.
The chief minister decided at the last moment not to go ahead with the bills.
The opposition had walked out of the assembly on another issue just before the salaries’ bills were listed for discussion.
Instead of taking up the bills in their absence, Virbhadra Singh said the government would not pass a legislation that would reflect that “we are increasing our own salaries”.
“Since the opposition walked out, we would not like to pass them (the bills),” he said.
He said the bills had been prepared in consensus with all members of the house, including the opposition.
The chief minister got permission from Speaker B.B. Butail to withdraw the bills.
One of the bills proposed to increase the monthly salary of the chief minister from Rs.39,000 to Rs.65,000, of the cabinet ministers from Rs.36,000 to Rs.50,000, that of ministers of state from Rs.33,000 to Rs.48,000 and for legislators from Rs.20,000 to Rs.30,000.