Bill to make MPs disclose foreign travel details in RS

BJP's G V L Narashimha Rao has introduced a private member Bill in Rajya Sabha to amend the Representation of People Act, 1951 to make it mandatory for the Members of Parliament (MPs) to disclose the details of their foreign travels every year.

As per revised instructions of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for issue of diplomatic passports to MPs and their spouse, the parliamentarians are required to share details about their foreign trip in advance to get political clearance from the government.

Introducing the Bill in the Rajya Sabha in Friday last week, Rao noted that members have been advised by the secretariat of both the Houses of Parliament to send information of their visits abroad to the respective secretary general at least 3 weeks in advance so that the MEA and the Indian Mission/Post concerned can be informed of the same.

Members travelling abroad in their personal capacity are also advised to furnish some information on such foreign travels, he stated.

“In the absence of a statutory requirement, this advisory has not been adhered to by most the MPs,” Rao noted in the statement of objects and reasons in the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Therefore, the Bill seeks to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to make it mandatory for the MPs to disclose the details of their travel documents in their possession and the foreign travels undertaken by them “along with the details like countries and places visited, duration of travel, expenses incurred, sources of funding, foreign hospitality received, if any etc,” it added.

Drawing the attention of MPs towards the requirement of obtaining prior permission of the central government for undertaking any travel abroad, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi wrote to all parliamentarians on July 3, urging them to keep the guidelines in view when intending to visit abroad.

“I request you to keep informed about your foreign visits, even though such visits may be purely private, or as a representative of any organisation, without involving foreign hospitality,” Joshi added in his letter to the parliamentarian.