An exclusive Right to Information reply accessed by India Today shows that only two Members of Parliament in the current Lok Sabha have opted not to receive their salaries. One of them belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party, while the other is a member of the Congress.
Although their constituencies are located nearly 2,575 kilometres apart — spanning the distance between Kurukshetra and Imphal — both representatives share the uncommon decision to forgo parliamentary pay. One of them has gone even further by declining the official perks and allowances that typically accompany the post.
According to the RTI response provided by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the two MPs are Naveen Jindal, who represents Kurukshetra, and Bimol Akoijam Angomcha, the MP from Inner Manipur. The reply also states that Jindal has chosen not to utilise any of the official allowances or benefits available to him as a parliamentarian.
Their financial disclosures highlight a sharp contrast in personal wealth. As per election affidavits, Jindal declared assets worth ₹1,241 crore, whereas Angomcha reported assets of approximately ₹97 lakh.
Jindal is counted among the wealthiest members of the 18th Lok Sabha, though he is not the richest. That distinction belongs to Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, a Telugu Desam Party MP from Guntur, who declared assets exceeding ₹5,705 crore. He is followed by Konda Vishweshwar Reddy of the BJP, who reported assets of more than ₹4,568 crore.
The RTI data further indicates that 481 sitting MPs out of the Lok Sabha’s sanctioned strength of 543 are drawing salaries. The response does not clarify the status of the remaining members. Currently, two seats in the lower house remain vacant.
