M A I N   N E W S

Speaker’s ultimatum to Jaya Prada
S Satyanarayanan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 3
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has issued an ultimatum to seven Lok Sabha Members, including cine actress turned politician Jaya Prada to submit their assets and liabilities declaration by May 16.

According to sources in the Speaker's Secretariat, Mr Chatterjee has threatened to refer their names to the Privileges Committee for necessary action if they failed to submit their assets and liabilities declaration latest by May 16.

Besides, Ms Jaya Prada, Samajwadi Party (SP) member, others who are yet to submit their declarations are Mr Akshay Pratap Singh Gopal ji and Mr Rasheed Masood (both SP leaders), Mr Vijay Krishna (RJD), Ms Bhavana Pundikrao Gawali (Shiv Sena), Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala (SAD) and Mr L.Ganesan (MDMK), sources said.

While Dr Ajnala (SAD) has promised to submit the requisite information positively by next week, Mr Vijay Krishna has sought some more time to furnish the information, sources said.

According to 'Members of Lok Sabha (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Rules', every candidate elected to the Lok Sabha shall, within 90 days from the date on which he makes and subscribes to an oath or affirmation for taking his seat, furnish the 'assets and liabilities information' to the Speaker.

The declaration should include information about the movable and immovable property of which a member, his spouse and his dependent children are jointly or severally owners or beneficiaries.

His liabilities to any public financial institution and his liabilities to the Central Government or to the state governments should also be declared.

The Secretary-General shall maintain a register to be called the 'Register of Declaration of Assets and Liabilities of Elected Members' which shall be treated as confidential and it shall not be made available to any person except with the written permission of the Speaker.

After the constitution of the 14th Lok Sabha, the process for filing the declaration was started from August 4, 2004, and from that date 90 days were allowed to members file the said declaration, sources said.

While a majority of the members filed their declaration promptly, some needed a couple of reminders and a few others had to be reminded several times, they added.