Shimla, Nov 8,
The Himachal Pradesh Congress government has formally scrapped the Loktantra Prahari Samman Act, 2021—a pension scheme introduced by the previous BJP regime to provide monthly honorariums to individuals jailed during the Emergency period of 1975–77. The repeal, enforced through the Himachal Pradesh Loktantra Prahari Samman (Repealing) Act, 2023, has now been notified in the state gazette after receiving the President’s assent. It takes effect retrospectively from April 1, 2023.
The repeal bill was passed in the state Vidhan Sabha on April 3, 2023, during the Budget Session, amid a strong protest and walkout by BJP legislators. Following its passage, the bill was sent to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla for approval. However, as the Governor withheld assent, the matter was forwarded to the President of India, who has now given approval, paving the way for its notification.
The Loktantra Prahari Samman Act was enacted by the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government to recognize those imprisoned during the Emergency, describing them as “fighters of democracy.” It entitled such individuals to a monthly honorarium from the state exchequer. Several senior BJP leaders, including former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar and former Speaker Radha Raman Shastri, were among its beneficiaries. The annual outlay for the scheme was estimated at around Rs 3.5 crore.
The present Congress government under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu decided to repeal the scheme, citing both financial constraints and irregularities in beneficiary eligibility. According to the government, several persons who had received benefits were either detained for brief periods or were in jail for reasons unrelated to political activity during the Emergency. The Chief Minister stated that at a time when the state is under financial stress, it was unjustifiable to continue political pensions under the guise of democratic recognition.
With the repeal now officially notified, all honorariums, benefits, and privileges extended under the 2021 Act stand withdrawn. While the BJP has criticized the move as an insult to those who “fought for democracy,” the Congress government has maintained that financial prudence and fairness must prevail in determining state-supported welfare.
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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
