Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra on Monday decided to take a 30% pay cut for one year to fund the efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, PTI reported.

The three election commissioners are entitled to a salary which is “equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court”. Supreme Court judges currently draw a monthly salary of Rs 2.50 lakh, plus perquisites.

“The numerous steps being taken by the government and civil society organisations require vast resources for which contribution from all sources, including reducing the burden of salaries on the exchequer, might be helpful,” a statement by the poll panel on Monday said. The panel added that the pay cuts would be effective for one year, starting April 1.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar had said on April 7 that an ordinance to be promulgated by the Centre will put into effect salary cuts of 30% for a year for all MPs, including Cabinet ministers and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to release funds for the fight against Covid-19. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, and all state governors also decided to give up 30% of their salaries voluntarily, he added.

India has so far reported 9,152 cases of the coronavirus, including 308 deaths, 856 recoveries and one migration, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.