Andhra Pradesh lawmakers take mass leave to attend weddings, Assembly on 2-day break

HYDERABAD: While the Andhra Pradesh assembly is in session,  at least 100 lawmakers have applied for leaves on the same dates. Reason? To attend weddings. 

Lawmakers in Andhra Pradesh have been granted their request for leave, en masse, while the assembly is in session - to attend weddings.

A report in NDTV states that nearly 1.2 lakh marriages are to be held over the next few days. Applying for leave for two days, the lawmakers have agreed to work for two additional days after the session ends.  

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Kodela Sivaprasada Rao on November 23 announced that the House would not sit on Thursday and Friday. Dr. Rao said the decision not to have sittings was taken on the request of the members, who said they had to attend weddings.

The House will reassemble on November 28 and will be in session till the end of the week. 

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly had in March last year passed a bill to hike salaries and other emoluments of legislators. As per the bill, the monthly salary of each legislator has been enhanced from Rs. 95,000 to Rs. 1.25 lakh.

The accommodation allowance has been doubled from Rs. 25,000, while maximum pension to retired members has also been increased to Rs. 50,000. For the first time, an annual allowance of Rs. 20,000 to each member towards magazines and books was also given.

Motor car/ house building advance, which is recoverable, had been doubled to Rs. 20 lakh.

However, YSRC member Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy had opposed the Bill saying that at a time when the state is reeling under severe financial crisis, "people will not appreciate if we give ourselves a salary hike like this."