BENGALURU: Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil on Wednesday defended the Bills that were passed in the Assembly and Council favoring a salary hike for the CM, ministers, legislators, the Assembly Speaker and Council chairman and a hike in pension for former legislators. “The size of the salary we increased is not in tune with any government cadre,’’ he told reporters.
On passing these Bills without any debate, the minister said there is nothing to hide. They were finance Bills and there was no objection to them from anyone, he added.
He said the Bills were placed before the cabinet. The ministers gave their suggestions. The chief secretary and the principal secretary gave their opinion. The Bills were also discussed at the meetings of the Department of Parliamentary Affairs. “Do you think there was no discussion on the Bills?’’ he questioned the media.
On what basis the CM, ministers and legislators were given 100% salary hike, Patil said their salary size was not in tune with any government cadre. “The Bills providing for a hike in the salary of the CM, ministers and the legislators were placed before both Houses. Procedures in this regard had been followed. Accordingly, we passed the Bills,” he said.
He said, “I can only answer your questions and can’t argue with you over the matter.”
Patil said the government tabled 28 Bills during the recent session and all were passed. Of them, five had received the governor’s approval. In 2023, the government passed 17 Bills, and in 2024 and 2025, 47 and 19 Bills, respectively. Of them, 83 had been gazetted. He said four Bills were awaiting the governor’s approval, while seven were sent back to the government for clarifications and five were before the President.
Cabinet may discuss BJP MLAs’ suspension today
Patil said the Cabinet is expected to discuss the suspension of 18 BJP MLAs on Thursday. He said the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Bill was not passed in the Assembly in a hasty manner. It was tabled 10 days before it was passed. The KTPP Act was amended to provide 4% reservation to Muslims in government contracts for civil works.