Rapid Summary
- Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar has applied for the resumption of his MLA pension from the Rajasthan Assembly.
- Mr.Dhankhar served as a Congress MLA for Ajmer district’s Kishangarh constituency from 1993 to 1998 and his pension was discontinued in 2019 when he became Governor of West Bengal.
- At age 74, Mr. Dhankhar seeks ₹42,000 per month as pension,including a 20% hike applicable to lawmakers above 70 years old.
- Rajasthan MLAs who serve full terms are entitled to pensions along with medical care and travel allowances.
- Mr.Dhankhar is eligible for pensions from the State Assembly, Vice-Presidency, and Parliament simultaneously.
- Sources state his resignation as Vice-President on July 21 due to “health issues” qualifies him for these benefits starting that date.
- Opposition parties have questioned why Mr. Dhankhar has remained largely out of public view post-resignation.Former CM Ashok Gehlot demanded clarity about his health.
indian Opinion Analysis
Mr. Dhankhar’s request for pension resumption raises important questions about overlapping entitlements among India’s political classes. While pensions tied to legislative service recognize contributions to governance, simultaneous claims across roles like MLA, MP, and Vice-President might warrant policy scrutiny on rationalizing benefits without redundancy.
Furthermore, concerns raised by Rajasthan’s opposition regarding lack of visibility post-resignation underscore accountability expectations associated with public figures-even after stepping down-as their position remains subject to public interest.
the process itself appears rule-compliant under Assembly protocols; though, clarity regarding his health condition may help counter speculative narratives surrounding his future role in politics or or else.
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