The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : 40 MLAs, 8 MLCs fail to meet deadline on filing assets

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Tuesday, Jul 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

40 MLAs, 8 MLCs fail to meet deadline on filing assets

Staff Reporter

Notices to be sent to legislators asking them to submit the declaration by August 30

Legislators have to file statements every year by June 30
Lokayukta to send report on non-compliance to the Governor

BANGALORE: As many as 40 MLAs elected this time, including Social Welfare Minister D. Sudhakar, have failed to submit to the Lokayukta the mandatory statement of assets and liabilities for 2007. The Karnataka Lokayukta Act mandates all the legislators to file statements for every year by June 30.

Among the 40 who have failed to meet the deadline is Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar, who has been doing this for a long time.

The others include party leaders Dinesh Gundu Rao and former Union Minister Srinivas Prasad. Eight MLCs have also not complied with the June 30 deadline.

The former Chief Minister Dharam Singh and the former Ministers R.V. Deshpande, Chennigappa and Chaluvarayaswamy are among 113 defeated in the recent Assembly elections who have not filed their statements.

Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde will send a report to the Governor about the non-compliance on Tuesday. He will also send notices to each of the individuals asking them to submit the declaration by August 30.

Recently elected MLAs as well as those from the previous legislature were asked to submit the declaration stating their assets and liabilities and also that of their family members. With the period not being specified in the Act, the Lokayukta had asked the legislators to submit the statement for the period between January and December.

On Monday, the Legislators were allowed to submit their declarations till around 8 p.m. Those who complied with the formality were made to sign in the register maintained separately for defeated as well as the winning legislators.

Poor response

Mr. Hegde said there has been a poor response this year compared with the number of statements filed in 2007. “Not much enthusiasm is being seen. They are taking advantage of Act which does not specify action for not meeting the deadline. They take advantage of two months that is given to them under the Act for compliance,” he said. This indicates the attitude of legislators to the laws they have framed, he added.

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