A four-decade-old Uttar Pradesh law puts the tax burden of the chief minister and his council of ministers on the state exchequer as they are deemed to be "poor" and “cannot pay income tax from their own meagre earnings”.

While many of these ministers, going by the affidavits they file during elections, own movable and immovable assets worth crores of rupees and love flashing their wealth by acquiring swanky SUVs, it is the state, ranked among the poorer ones, which picks up the tax bill.

The law, Uttar Pradesh Ministers’ Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Act, 1981, was enacted when V P Singh was chief minister.

A four-decade-old Uttar Pradesh law puts the tax burden of the chief minister and his council of ministers on the state exchequer as they are deemed to be "poor" and “cannot pay income tax from their own meagre earnings”.

While many of these ministers, going by the affidavits they file during elections, own movable and immovable assets worth crores of rupees and love flashing their wealth by acquiring swanky SUVs, it is the state, ranked among the poorer ones, which picks up the tax bill.

The law, Uttar Pradesh Ministers’ Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Act, 1981, was enacted when V P Singh was chief minister.