<p>The failure to declare assets by government employees while filing property returns under the new Lokpal rules will be presumed to have been acquired by corrupt means, the Centre has said.<br /><br />Besides, it has said that such declarations filed by government employees are to be put up in public domain.<br /><br />The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued a draft frequently asked questions in respect of the Lokpal Act, saying employees are required to file two returns -- first for assets as on August 1, 2014 and the other giving detail of property and liabilities as on March 31, 2015 -- before the recently extended date of October 15, this year.<br /><br />If a public servant wilfully or for the reasons which are not justifiable, fails to declare his assets or gives misleading information, and is found to be in possession of assets not disclosed or in respect of which misleading information was furnished, then such assets shall, unless otherwise proved, be presumed to belong to the public servant and shall be presumed to be assets acquired by corrupt means, it has said.<br /><br />The assets and liabilities of spouse of a public servant, who is an employee of a private company, are also to be reflected in the return to be filed by the employees, the DoPT said, explaining the existing provisions of the Act in this regard.</p>.<p>The law makes it mandatory for both husband and wife to file separate returns if they are government employees.<br /><br />The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 has come into force from January 1, last year.</p>.<p>"However, the institution of Lokpal is yet to become functional, since the Act needs some amendments, inter alia, so as to resolve certain issues relating to appointment of chairperson and members of Lokpal, etc. in the absence of a Leader of Opposition recognised as such in the Lok Sabha.</p>.<p>"For this purpose, a Bill has been introduced in Parliament and is currently under consideration of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice," the DoPT said.<br /><br />The Committee is also examining the rules relating to the filing of assets and the manner in which such declarations need to be made public.<br /><br />As per rules, notified under the 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.<br /><br />For 2014, the last date for filing returns was September 15, which was later extended to December-end, then till April 30, and now up to October 15, 2015.<br /><br />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 supposed to file a declaration under the new rules.<br /><br />The Act provides for establishment of a Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into corruption charges against public functionaries</p>
<p>The failure to declare assets by government employees while filing property returns under the new Lokpal rules will be presumed to have been acquired by corrupt means, the Centre has said.<br /><br />Besides, it has said that such declarations filed by government employees are to be put up in public domain.<br /><br />The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued a draft frequently asked questions in respect of the Lokpal Act, saying employees are required to file two returns -- first for assets as on August 1, 2014 and the other giving detail of property and liabilities as on March 31, 2015 -- before the recently extended date of October 15, this year.<br /><br />If a public servant wilfully or for the reasons which are not justifiable, fails to declare his assets or gives misleading information, and is found to be in possession of assets not disclosed or in respect of which misleading information was furnished, then such assets shall, unless otherwise proved, be presumed to belong to the public servant and shall be presumed to be assets acquired by corrupt means, it has said.<br /><br />The assets and liabilities of spouse of a public servant, who is an employee of a private company, are also to be reflected in the return to be filed by the employees, the DoPT said, explaining the existing provisions of the Act in this regard.</p>.<p>The law makes it mandatory for both husband and wife to file separate returns if they are government employees.<br /><br />The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 has come into force from January 1, last year.</p>.<p>"However, the institution of Lokpal is yet to become functional, since the Act needs some amendments, inter alia, so as to resolve certain issues relating to appointment of chairperson and members of Lokpal, etc. in the absence of a Leader of Opposition recognised as such in the Lok Sabha.</p>.<p>"For this purpose, a Bill has been introduced in Parliament and is currently under consideration of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice," the DoPT said.<br /><br />The Committee is also examining the rules relating to the filing of assets and the manner in which such declarations need to be made public.<br /><br />As per rules, notified under the 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.<br /><br />For 2014, the last date for filing returns was September 15, which was later extended to December-end, then till April 30, and now up to October 15, 2015.<br /><br />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 supposed to file a declaration under the new rules.<br /><br />The Act provides for establishment of a Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into corruption charges against public functionaries</p>