87 lawmakers in Karnataka fail to file assets & liabilities details

Karnataka Lok Ayukta justice N Santosh Hegde is all set to issue notices to three ministers, 67 MLAs and 17 MLCs who have failed to submit their statements of assets and liabilities even as the deadline to submit them ended at 5.30 pm on Wednesday.

Disclosing that he would soon issue notices to the lawmakers, Justice Hegde, however, declined to divulge the names of the defaulters.

The filing of statements on assets and liabilities is an annual exercise and excludes members of parliament.

According to the Lokayukta Act, justice Hegde is expected to submit a report to governor HR Bhardwaj within the next few days, giving details of the legislators who have failed to submit their statement of assets and liabilities before the June 29 deadline. Notices would be sent to defaulters.

“The defaulters could seek two more months to furnish the details. In effect, they will have time till August 31 to file their statement,” justice Hegde said.

When queried about the action against the defaulters, justice Hegde only said action would be initiated after getting a reply from the defaulters.

The annual exercise requires the lawmakers from the state to file statement of assets and liabilities within 90 days from the end of a financial year.

Members of the public interested in verifying the authenticity of the legislators’ declarations could file complaints after checking details.