A governance watchdog has urged Telangana Governor to intervene and stop the State government from paying the income tax liabilities of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers and several other officials holding Cabinet rank, arguing that the practice is unconstitutional and an unfair burden on taxpayers.

In a representation submitted to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Tuesday, the Forum for Good Governance (FGG) said a provision in the Andhra Pradesh Payment of Salaries and Pensions and Removal of Disqualification Act, 1953, which was adopted by Telangana after State bifurcation, allows the government to bear the income tax payable on the salaries, allowances and perquisites of ministers.

FGG president M. Padmanabha Reddy contended that the provision violates the constitutional principle of equality before law under Article 14, as ordinary citizens are required to pay their own income tax while ministers receive the benefit at public expense.

The organisation said it had earlier approached the government seeking an end to the practice but had received no response. According to the representation, the General Administration department declined to provide the information, stating that it related to the personal details of individuals.

FGG argued that the issue involves the use of public money and therefore falls within the public’s right to know. The organisation alleged that, apart from the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and 14 Cabinet ministers, the benefit is also being extended to advisers, corporation chairpersons, parliamentary secretaries and others granted Cabinet rank.

Claiming that several States have already discontinued the practice, the forum called for the deletion of the relevant provision in the Act. It also alleged that, in some cases, income from sources other than official salary and allowances may have been included while calculating the tax liability borne by the government.

The organisation has requested the Governor to direct the State government to disclose the names of all beneficiaries and the amount of income tax paid on their behalf during the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. It has also sought legislative action to remove the provision allowing ministers’ income tax on salary-related earnings to be paid from the State exchequer.