CHENNAI

The Tamil Nadu government has amended the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Travelling Allowance Rules, fixing the ceiling for car purchases at ₹26 lakh for Ministers, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Government Whip, and at ₹15 lakh for all other MLAs.

Under the amended rules, notified in the official gazette, the ceiling will be increased by 5% annually. The government will procure cars for Ministers in its own name, while the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat will procure cars for the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Government Whip and MLAs in the name of its Secretary. All purchases will be made through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.

The Public Department will provide cars to Ministers and meet the expenditure on their maintenance, repairs, fuel and drivers. The Legislative Assembly Secretariat will make similar arrangements for the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Government Whip.

Cars for other MLAs will be provided through the respective District Collectors. The MLAs will have to meet the expenditure on maintenance, repairs, fuel and drivers from their vehicle allowance.

On vacating office due to death, completion of tenure, removal, resignation or disqualification, Ministers must surrender their cars to the government, while the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Government Whip must surrender theirs to the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly Secretariat. Similarly, MLAs must return their cars to the respective District Collectors, under intimation to the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretariat.