Almost a month after stepping down as Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar has appeared in news for re-applying for the pension he drew as a former MLA in Rajasthan. The 74-year-old leader has formally requested the state legislature secretariat to resume his benefits, a PTI report quoted officials as confirming on Saturday.
Dhankhar, who served as a Congress legislator from Kishangarh between 1993 and 1998 before joining the BJP in 2003, had been receiving MLA’s pension until 2019. Dhankhar’s payments were put on hold following his constitutional appointments as Governor of West Bengal and later Vice-President.
Dhankhar’s application is underway
Having resigned from the country’s second-highest constitutional post on July 21 this year citing health reasons, Dhankhar has now sought resumption of his MLA pension. His application has been received and the necessary proceedings are underway, Legislative Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani told IANS. He further added that the disbursal would begin once formalities are complete.
How much will Dhankhar receive as pension?
According to reports, a one-term legislator is entitled to Rs 35,000 a month, with increments for additional terms and age. For septuagenarians like Dhankhar, the pension rises by 20%. He will be entitled to a pension of Rs 42,000 per month. This will be in addition to the pensions he is eligible for as a former Vice-President and ex-MP.
Dhankhar has largely kept away from the public eye since his resignation. According to reports, Dhankhar is currently staying put at the Vice-President’s official residence and avoiding meeting the public in general. Several opposition leaders, including LoP Rahul Gandhi, have questioned Dhankhar’s sudden absence from public life.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Dhankhar entered politics in the late 1980s. He was elected to the Lok Sabha and served as a Union minister in the early 1990s. His appointment as Governor of West Bengal in 2019 brought him into national prominence. Dhankhar got elected as Vice-President in 2022. Among other things, he became first Rajya Sabha speaker in India’ history to face an impeachment motion from the Opposition.