Babus Need Not File Declaration of Assets and Liabilities
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. Obviously the babus are not ready to part with this information.
In September 2014, the Government extended the last date to 31st day of December 2014.
Come December and they extended it to 30th April 2015.
In April also babus were not ready and the government extended the last date to 15th October 2015.
On October 11th, a Sunday, the Government extended the date to 15th April 2016.
The Government had emphatically stated on 28th March 2016 that there shall be no further extension of the aforesaid last date i.e. 15.04.2016. On 11th April, the Government extended it till 31st July 2016. On 29th July 2016, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 was amended to insert the following clause:
"44. On and from the date of commencement of this Act, every public servant shall make a declaration of his assets and liabilities in such form and manner as may be prescribed."
And with this Act, there is no requirement of filing the return.
DoPT clarifies,
Thus, under 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 there is no requirement for filing of declarations of assets and liabilities by public servants now.
The Government is in the process of finalising a fresh set of rules. The said rules will be notified in due course to prescribe the form, manner and timelines for filing of declaration of assets and liabilities by the public servants under the revised provision of the said Act. All public servants will henceforth be required to file the declarations as may be prescribed by the fresh set of rules.
Please also see DDT 2405, 2433, 2504, 2505, 2585, 2702, 2815, 2826, 2898 and 2973