Central govt employees can declare assets till April 2016

Under pressure from babus, the Centre has decided to extend deadline for central government employees till April 15, 2016 to file the details of their assets and liabilities, along with that of their spouses and dependent children, as mandated under the Lokpal Act.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) has sent the file seeking extension for another six months to the Law Ministry for vetting. An order will be issued in a day or two, an official in the DOPT told Deccan Herald.

If the government goes ahead with its decision, this will be the fourth extension of dates for submitting the returns by the employees. At present, the last date for filing such returns is October 15, 2015.

As per rules, notified under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, every public servant shall file declaration, information and annual returns pertaining to his assets and liabilities as on March 31 every year or on or before July 31 of that year.

For 2014, the last date for filing returns was September 15, which was later extended to December-end, then till April 30, there after October 15, 2015 and now April 15, 2016.

The declarations under the Lokpal Act are in addition to similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules. All Group A, B and C employees are required to file a declaration under the new rules in a new format including mentioning details of “furniture, fittings, antiques, paintings, electronic items” and any other movable asset owned by him or his immediate family member whose current value exceeds his two months basic salary or Rs 1 lakh.

Employees also need to give details like cash in hand, bank deposits, investment in bonds, debentures, shares and units in companies or mutual funds, insurance policies, personal loans and advance given to any person or entity, among others.