Central govt employees and NGO executives need not file asset details of spouse and children

The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to a proposal to amend the Lokpal Act on Wednesday to exempt central government employees and NGOs executives from filing details of assets of their spouses and children. Parliament had on July 28 passed a bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its ex-post facto approval for amendments to section 44 and consequential amendments to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 by introducing the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament, a release issued by the government said. "The approved amendments will address concerns and apprehensions expressed by different categories of public servants and addresses the difficulties being faced in implementing the provision of section 44 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. The amendments are in line with one of the recommendations of the standing committee," it said.

As per old Lokpal rules, every public servant will file declaration, information and annual returns pertaining to his assets and liabilities, along with those of spouse and dependent children, as on March 31 every year on or before July 31 of that year. This was changed through the amendment bill to exempt spouse and children of public servants. The declarations under the Lokpal law are in addition to those filed by the employees under various service rules. The last date for filing such declarations has been extended till December 31, 2016.