7[6. Free transit by railway.-

(1) Every member shall be provided with one free non-transferable 8[first class air-conditioned or executive class of any train] pass which shall entitle him to travel at any time by any railway in India.

Explanation.-9[For the purposes of this sub-section and sections 6A and 6B], a member shall include a Minister as defined in the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 1952 (58 of 1952), 10[a Leader of the Opposition as defined in the Salary and Allowances of Leader of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977 (33 of 1977)] and an officer of Parliament as defined in the Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament Act, 1953 (20 of 1953), other than the Chairman of the Council of States.

(2) A free railway pass issued to a member under sub-section (1) shall be valid for the term of his office and on the expiration of such term, the pass shall be surrendered to the Secretary of the House of the People or the Council of States, as the case may be: Provided that where any such pass is issued to a new member before he takes his seat in either House of Parliament, he shall be entitled to use the pass for attending a session of that House for taking his seat therein.

(3) Until a member is provided with a free railway pass under sub-section (1) he shall be, and shall be deemed always to have been entitled to an amount equal to one 1[first class air-conditioned or or executive class of any train] fare for any journey of the nature referred to in sub-section (1) of section 4 performed by him by rail.

(4) A member who on ceasing to be a member surrenders his pass shall, if he performs any return journey by rail of the nature referred to in sub-section (1) of section 4, be entitled and be deemed always to have been entitled in respect of that journey to an amount equal to one 1[first class air-conditioned or executive class of any trains] fare.

(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed as disentitling a member to any travelling allowances to which he is otherwise entitled under the provisions of this Act.]

1. Ins. by Act 40 of 2006, s. 4 (w.e.f. 15-9-2006).

2. Ins. by s. 4, ibid. (w.e.f. 15-9-2006).

3. Ins. by Act 3 of 1993, s. 2 (w.e.f. 5-1-1993).

4. Subs. by Act 16 of 1999, s. 2, for "the companion or the spouse shall be added in computing the limit of twenty-eight journeys specified in the proviso to that sub-section." (w.e.f. 18-3-1999).

5. Subs. by Act 40 of 2006, s. 4, for "thirty-two journeys" (w.e.f. 15-9-2006).

6. Ins. by Act 9 of 2004, s. 5 (w.e.f. 9-1-2004).

7. Subs. by Act 55 of 1958, s. 5, for section 6 (w.e.f. 30-12-1958).

8. Subs. by Act 16 of 1999, s. 3, for "air-conditioned two tier" (w.e.f. 18-3-1999).

9. Subs. by Act 29 of 1972, s. 3, for "For the purposes of this sub-section and section 6A" (w.e.f. 9-6-1972).

10. Ins. by Act 33 of 1977, s. 11 (w.e.f. 1-11-1977).