PIL in HC seeks action against MPs for not declaring assets

A PIL filed in the Bombay High Court today sought a direction to the Centre, the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Chief Election Commissioner to take action against Members of Parliament who have not declared their assets, which is mandatory.
An MP is required to declare his assets within 90 days of taking oath in keeping with the Representation of People Act and Members of Lok Sabha Declaration of Assets Rules 2004, said the PIL filed by a Pune-based activist Hemant Patil.
"Though the Lok Sabha elections concluded last year, several MPs are yet to declare their assets," the PIL, which is likely to come up for hearing next week, said.

The PIL submitted that the Lok Sabha Secretariat has replied in an RTI query that assets details of 401 members of Lok Sabha are awaited.
These MPs include 209 of BJP, 31 from Congress, 27 from TMC, 18 from BJD, 15 from Shiv Sena MPs, 14 from TDP, 9 from AIADMK and 8 from TRS, 7 from YSR Congress, 6 from Lok Janshakti Party and 4 from NCP, CPI-M and SP each, 3 each from Akali Dal, RJD and AAP and 2 each from JD(U) and Apna Dal, it says.
The PIL urged that action should be taken against the MPs who have not submitted details of their assets required under Representation of Peoples Act and Assets and Liability Declaration Rules 2004.

The PIL said that under section 75 (A) Representation of People Act, it is binding upon MPs to furnish details of their movable and immovable assets within 90 days of taking oath.