Deadline for assets declaration extended

Govt. yet to define ‘public servant’ under Lokayukta Act; concern over inclusion of NGO workers.

Pending the Parliamentary Committee’s decision on the definition of a ‘Public Servant’ as defined by Section 44 of the Lokpal and Lokyuktas Act, the Union government has extended the deadline for filing of assets by public servants to December 31.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday issued an order notifying the new deadline.

This is the sixth extension given to about 50 lakh government employees for filing details of assets and liabilities, along with those of their spouses and dependent children, as part of mandatory obligations under the Lokpal Act.

Unanimous support In a rare display of camaraderie, barring feeble objections from some members of the Left, Parliament earlier this week adopted, without debate, an amendment to substitute Section 44 of the Act. Parliament also decided to refer it to the Standing Committee .

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh who piloted the move, told the Lok Sabha that the government hoped the Standing Committee would endeavour to make its recommendations expeditiously and if possible before the next Session of Parliament.

Define ‘public servant’

The Standing Committee is expected to deal with two specific issues. One pertains to the definition of a public servant itself. “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 Minister told the Lok Sabha.

The second issue relates to declaration of assets by persons connected with non-government organisations which receive funding from foreign sources or get direct or indirect funding from the state.

“Some of the NGOs, as all of us are aware, could also be running certain educational institutions; some of them are also running some media houses, both electronic and print. Therefore, while there are amendments which are pending consideration by the Standing Committee, the need for the public servants and the NGOs to file their asset declaration has raised quite a lot of debate,” the Minister had told the House.