Goa Lokayukta whips MLAs about not disclosing assets

PANAJI: Goa Lokayukta has decided to refer to the state Governor the names of all the legislators and public functionaries who fail to declare their assets and liabilities for the financial years between 2012 and 2016.

Several MLAs had failed to file their statement of assets and liabilities before the state Lokayukta, which is mandatory as per law.

Subsequently, the Lokayukta had on Monday issued a public notice asking the public functionaries to file their statement of assets and liabilities before June 30.

"We have issued notice to all the MLAs and public functionaries to submit their assets and liabilities by June 30. If they fail to do so, we will issue a two months' notice two them. And despite that if they don't furnish, we will submit their names to Governor who is the competent authority," Goa's Lokayukta Justice (Retd) Prafulla Kumar Misra told PTI.

Will approach Guv if MLAs fail to declare assets:Goa Lokayukta https://t.co/y9XKyvdGAF

— Goa (@EverythingGoa) May 11, 2016

"The Governor then might place the matter before the state Legislative Assembly for further action," he said.

Those issued notices have been asked to furnish the statements for the financial years 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Justice Misra said the Lokayukta has no right to punish anyone under the Goa Lokayukta Act.

"We can also publish the names of those who fail to submit their statement in two prominent newspapers in the state," he further said.

He said as the post of Lokayukta was vacant since 2013, some people might not have filed their assets before the authority.

"There was some doubt whether they require to file the statements or not when Lokayukta was not there. Now they have to file (asset details) for previous years," he said.

Justice Misra was sworn in as Lokayukta on April 28, filling the post which was vacant since 2013 following the resignation of the then Lokayukta Justice (retd) K Sudarshan Reddy on personal grounds.