NHRC chief refuses to disclose IT returns

| Last updated less than one minute ago

Submit :

News Photos Just In Debate Topic Latest News Articles Local News Blog Posts Pictures Reviews Recipes

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

19 April, 2011

All officials serving in the government unto the rank of under secretary should be made to declare their assets public. This will help to keep a tab on the assets of officials and also curb black money.

THIS REFERS to NHRC Chief KG Balakrishnan declining to make his IT returns public under RTI Act. Though the matter is yet to be decided if an appeal is filed at Central Information Commission, yet such disclosures can be easily permitted without any fear of harm to a person by ordering hiding of personal details such as bank-details, and PAN number, etc., through whitener as has been at times ordered by Central Information Commission.

However, the system of such disclosure should be for all those getting pay from national or state exchequers including those in public-sector undertakings. It should be a rule that websites of all public-authorities may compulsory have wealth-declarations of all the staffers of rank of Under Secretary and above or their equivalents. Phenomenon should be applicable to all those in legislature, bureaucracy and judiciary.

To effectively check use of corrupt-money in private functions, every one required to declare wealth should also make public his/her one-time spending exceeding say rupees 50000 apart from listing all family-functions.

It is important that the use of money obtained through illegal means should be curbed as it will reduce the impulse to hoard such money through corrupt means.