Parl panel suggests penalties for IAS officers not filing property details

A Parliamentary committee has suggested penalties or corrective actions against IAS officers if they fail to file their property details within the prescribed time limit.

Ninety-one Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers did not file their immovable property returns (IPRs) in 2024 and 73 the year before, according to 145th report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice on the Demands for Grants (2025-26) pertaining to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The report was tabled in Parliament on March 27.

Vigilance clearance, mandatory to join certain posts, was denied to 15 IAS officers in 2023, 12 in 2022 and 14 in 2021, due to non-filing of IPRs for respective years.

The panel recommended that a centralised compliance monitoring mechanism may be established to ensure timely filing of IPRs by all IAS officers.

"This mechanism should involve creation of a dedicated task force within the department responsible for tracking and filing status of all officers. Additionally, the committee proposes to introduce penalties or corrective actions for non-compliance, including automatic escalation procedures for officers who fail to file their IPRs despite reminders," the report said.

This will strengthen accountability and ensure timely filing, making the process more robust and ensure greater adherence to the requirements, it said.

The panel also noted a shortage of 1,316 IAS officers and suggested swift action to enhance the recruitment process to meet the growing demands of public administration.

Of the total authorised strength of 6,858 IAS officers (including 4,781 direct recruits and 2,077 promotees), 5,542 (3,987 direct recruits, 1,555 promotees) are in positions.

"The existing shortage of 1,316 IAS officers significantly impacts administrative efficiency and governance across various levels of the government. Given the urgency of filling these vacant posts, swift action is needed to enhance the recruitment process and meet the growing demands of public administration," the report said.

The panel said the Chandramouli Committee's report regarding the intake of direct recruit IAS officers may be studied and implemented at the earliest.

The recommendations of the Committee chaired by C Chandramouli for intake scenarios of direct recruit IAS officers on the basis of civil services examination are currently under the government's consideration.

To ensure timely determination of vacancies in the IAS promotion quota, the Parliamentary committee recommended that the DoPT may initiate an online tracking and submission portal for state governments.

"This platform would allow state governments to submit their proposals electronically, track the progress of their submissions, and receive automated reminders about deadlines," it said.

Additionally, the DoPT should set up a penalty system for delayed submissions, such as withholding consideration for promotion quotas from states that consistently fail to meet deadlines, the report said.

"This system would not only streamline the process but also incentivise prompt action, ensuring that the determination of vacancies and the subsequent promotion and selection processes occur without unnecessary delays," it added.