At a time of financial strain in Kerala, the Accountant General (AG) has raised concerns about two state ministers allegedly receiving “double benefits” against regulations. Local Self-Government Minister M.B. Rajesh and Archaeology Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally are reported to have been collecting both their full ministerial salaries and parliamentary pensions. The AG has instructed the government to promptly calculate and reclaim any excess payments made to the State treasury.
The AG’s findings, disclosed in a communication to the Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department on January 19, highlight the ministers’ purported violation. The issue, which involves the non-adjustment of parliamentary pensions against ministerial salaries as required by law, has sparked questions about potential administrative oversights.
According to the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, individuals holding ministerial positions should only receive the balance of their salary after deducting the MP pension component. The AG’s inspection report indicates that both ministers may have breached this rule by simultaneously drawing both their pensions and full salaries. The AG has requested relevant documents from the General Administration Department to ascertain the residual pension payable and the necessary deductions from ministerial salaries.
The situation could have broader implications beyond administrative concerns. Candidates running in Assembly elections are mandated to provide a non-liability certificate, and any financial obligations to the government could complicate the nomination scrutiny process. Both accused ministers have a history of parliamentary service, with Kadannappally previously serving as an MP and Rajesh representing a constituency in the Lok Sabha before transitioning to an MLA role in Kerala.
