The former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir will no longer be entitled to perks and privileges after the Centre repealed the 1984 State Legislative Members Pension Act.
The Act entitled former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti to rent-free furnished accommodation, expenditure to the limit of Rs 35,000 per annum for furnishing of the residential accommodation, free telephone calls up to the value of Rs 48,000 per annum, free electricity to the extent of Rs 1,500 per month, car, petrol, medical facilities and a driver.
They were also entitled to one personnel assistant, one special assistant and two peons.
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“Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, a member who is entitled to pension under this Act and who has served as Chief Minister of the State, shall be entitled to car, petrol, medical facilities, driver, rent-free furnished accommodation, expenditure to the limit of Rs 35,000 per annum for furnishing of the residential accommodation, free telephone calls up to the value of Rs 48,000 per annum, free electricity to the extent of Rs 1500 per month etc,” reads section 3( C) of the law which was repealed by the Centre on Tuesday night.
The Act was deleted through Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (adaptation of state laws) Order-2020 on a recommendation by J&K Law Commission.
The Commission held that the provisions "violate the constitutional principles of equality" and are “arbitrary and not in consonance with any scheme or law"
Farooq, Omar and Mehbooba were part of the 50 plus politicians who were detained in Jammu and Kashmir after the revocation of Article 370 and downgrading of the status of the state to a Union territory on August 5, 2019.
The three former CMs were first placed under preventive detention but were later booked under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) in February.
Farooq was released on March 12 and Omar on March 24. But Mehbobba continues to be under detention.
Farooq has a private house at Gupkar Road while Omar lives in a government residence nearby. Mehbooba and her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed moved to Fairview, a government building on Gupkar Road, after Mufti became the chief minister in 2003.
It is not clear whether she and Omar would continue to live in the official residences, on which they have spent crores of rupees for renovation, or move out.
