On anvil?
AFTER the demonetisation stunner, the social media is suffocating itself with what next - the most innovative ones (myths) seem to have a great fan following only to be thrown into the gallows by the PIB with a barrage of intelligent and attractive looking tweets.
Incidentally, in the ongoing efforts of arresting the growth of corruption and blackmoney, perhaps this may also be recollected.
Government had notified the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Rules, 2014 under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 on 14.07.2014.
The Government servants were required to file returns of their assets and liabilities by 15th September 2014. This date was extended to 31st day of December 2014. And later extended to 30th April 2015 and then again to 15th October 2015. And again to 15th April 2016.
Tired with this extension, the Government emphatically stated on 28th March 2016 that there shall be no further extension of the aforesaid last date i.e. 15.04.2016.
But on 11th April 2016, the Government extended it till 31st July 2016.
This was the fifth extension.
On 27th July, 2016, the Lok Sabha amended the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.
The Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh had explained the position in Parliament thus:
Some of the provisions of this Act have created certain issues. For example, the Act requires that all public servants should file their declarations of assets including assets of their spouses and children. That is one issue which has raised considerable amount of discussion. The date for that was April, which later on extended and currently the deadline or the last date is 31st July, 2016.
I propose an amendment in Parliament today in order to substitute the provision of section 44 which precisely deals with the declaration of assets and the provision of making the assets public. I do so, so that the present or the immediate impasse which has happened with regard to the declaration of assets could be overcome and the same in relation to the public servants which include the Government officials as well as the political functionaries and the other category of NGOs could be deferred.
And the Bill was passed.
Please also see DDT 2405, 2433, 2504, 2505, 2585, 2702, 2815, 2826 and 2898.