For some legislators not filing the mandatory assets and liabilities statement to the Lokayukta seems to have become a habit.
Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa, former ministers Babu Rao Chinchanasur (Gurmitkal), Shivaraj S Tangadagi (Kanakagiri), H D Revanna (Holenarsipur) and MLAs Anil Lad (Ballari) and Ashok Kheny (Bidar South) had not submitted their statement of assets and liabilities before the deadline on June 30. Last year too, they didn’t file the papers in time.
Among the 101 legislators who failed to submit their statements by June 30, a list obtained under the Right to Information Act by Deccan Herald reveals that Small Scale Industries Ministers Ramesh Jarakiholi and Animal Husbandry and Sericulture Minister A Manju have also not submitted the statement which is mandatory as per Section 22 (1) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act.
Even Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad (Ranebennur) has not filed the statement. Other MLAs who have missed the deadline are — Ganesh Hukkeri (Chikkodi), Vijayanand Kashappanavar (Hunagund), B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamarajpet), Satish Reddy (Bommanahalli), H C Balakrishna (Magadi) C P Yogeshwar (Channapatna) and Mohiuddin Bava (Mangaluru).
Prominent MLCs who have failed to submit the statement are — Basana Gouda Patil Yatnal, K M Mallikarjuna, Lehar Singh, D U Mallikarjuna, K C Kondaiah, C R Manohar and Tara.
Meanwhile, Minister for Planning, Statistics, Science and Technology M R Seetharam has clarified that he had submitted the statement before the Lokayukta within the deadline.
Similarly, Home Minister G Parameshwara has also submitted the statement before the Lokayukta. A senior Lokayukta official said 11 legislators have submitted statements after the stipulated time of June 30.
Former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde said that section 22 of the Lokayukta Act needs an amedment.
“Whoever files their statement after the deadline shouldn’t be given salary and perks,’’ he said. As per the present rules, the Lokayukta only sends a report to the Governor on legislators who fail to file their statements before the deadline.
Justice Hegde also opined that the Lokayukta should scrutinise each and every statements. “In case, there is anything wrong in the statements, the Lokayukta should file a criminal case under section 177 of the IPC that attracts imprsionment of upto six months,’’ he said.