Election Commission view sought on ways to monitor lawmakers’ assets

NEW DELHI: Almost two years after the Supreme Court asked the government to set up a permanent mechanism to monitor and scrutinise any disproportionate increase in the assets of lawmakers, the Centre has begun to move in that direction.

The law ministry has written to the Election Commission seeking its opinion on a proposal to set up the mechanism, ET has learnt. The government has proposed that such a mechanism/committee be set up in each House of Parliament/legislature to keep watch on any unusual increase in the assets of a member of parliament/legislative assembly.

As per the proposal, MPs would be required to submit an annual report of their assets to the committee, which will examine them and assess if there has been any unusual increase and possibly recommend action to be taken in such a case, officials aware of the matter said.


Currently, MPs are required to declare their assets and liabilities with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha within 90 days of taking their seat in Parliament. These declarations are confidential and can be made public only with special permission of the Chair. The rule does not apply to MLAs.

The apex court had ticked off the government for failing to implement its 2018 order on the subject. In March, a three-judge bench led by then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi demanded answers from the legislative department of the law ministry on why its February 2018 order had not been implemented.

NGO Lok Prahari had moved the Supreme Court alleging a massive increase in the assets of over 26 Lok Sabha MPs, 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 257 MLAs. The NGO sought full disclosure of the assets of contesting candidates so that voters could make informed choices.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes also pointed to the gravity of the matter and told the court earlier that it was investigating ‘substantial increases’ in the assets of seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 state MLAs.