The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has officially passed the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions, and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which introduces significant salary increases for the Chief Minister, ministers, and legislators. This increase is anticipated to elevate the state’s annual expenditure by Rs 10 crore.
The bill was approved amidst ongoing turmoil in the Assembly related to an alleged honey trap controversy that impacted the session’s proceedings.
Key highlights of the bill include a 100 per cent salary increase for the Chief Minister, raising the monthly salary from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh. Additionally, salaries for legislators, including MLAs and MLCs, will double from Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000 per month.
Furthermore, the bill proposes considerable hikes in various allowances. Specifically, the constituency allowance for legislators will rise from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month, while the house rent allowance for ministers is set to increase from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2 lakh monthly.
Sources indicate that the bill was drafted in response to long-standing demands for a salary revision from MLAs and MLCs. A previous amendment in 2022 had mandated salary increases every five years, yet this had not been implemented.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the salary hike, stating, “The common man is also suffering and the MLAs are also suffering. This recommendation came from MLAs based on these circumstances. Everybody needs to survive, and the Chief Minister will have to allocate funds to address these needs.”
