Bill seeking mandatory disclosure of foreign travel details by MPs moved in RS

GVL Narasimha Rao, the BJP lawmaker in Rajya Sabha, on Friday moved a Private Member's Bill in the House seeking to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1951 so as to make it mandatory for the MPs to disclose the details of their foreign travel through the year, as well as any hospitality or monetary help received by them on such visits.

While a circular was sent by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to all MPs earlier this July in this regard, the legislation, titled 'The Representation Of The People (Amendment) Bill, 2019' seeks to make the disclosures "mandatory" for all the MPs.

"The members are advised by the secretariat of both Houses of Parliament to send information of their visits abroad, stating the purpose and the itineraries, to the respective Secretary-General at least 3 weeks in advance so that the Ministry of External Affairs and the concerned Indian Mission/Post can be informed of the same," the bill read.

"Members travelling abroad in their personal capacity are also advised to furnish some information on such foreign travels to never in the absence of a statutory requirement, this advisory has not been adhered to by most Members of Parliament," it read.

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