Mizoram MLAs' salary bill referred to CEC

AIZAWL, August 4: The Mizoram law department has referred the Mizoram Salaries and Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill, 1999, to the Chief Election Commissioner as it could violate the moral code of conduct laid down by the Election Commission. The Bill was introduced in the state Assembly on Wednesday. According to state chief electoral officer L Tochawng, Governor A Padmanaban had asked the state election commission to clarify whether the Bill could be introduced and later implemented before the Lok Sabha elections. A senior official of the law department said according to the CEO, if the Bill was passed, being a legislation it could not violate the moral code of conduct until implemented. But the law department thought otherwise, the official said, adding that the CEO was likely to send its reply by August 5. A Raj Bhawan official said if the CEO so desired, the Governor could reserve his assent to the Bill if passed by the Assembly till the elections. On Tuesday night the Cabinet had approved the Bill which seeks of enhance the salaries and other benefits of MLAs.