Madhya Pradesh Ministers Hold Off Property Details For 15 Years While IAS, IPS Officers Asked To Disclose Information Every Year

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Discussions over the details of the properties of IAS, IPS and IFS officers are underway. But the ministers have not given the details of their properties in the House for the past 15 years.

The last time the ministers gave the details of their properties in the House was 2010. Afterwards, they have not put up the details of their properties.

As an exceptional case, the then minister Jayant Malaiya gave the details of his properties in 2015. Former minister Gaurishankar Bisen followed the footstep of his colleague in 2017.

Nevertheless, neither the chief minister nor any minister put up the details of their properties in the House. Former chief minister Sunderlal Patwa started the tradition of putting up the details of the ministers’ properties in the House.

In 1990, Patwa and his cabinet colleagues put up the details of his properties in the House.

Similarly, following the footsteps of his predecessor, former chief minister Digvijaya Singh and his cabinet colleagues presented the details of their properties in the House seven times during his tenure.

Former chief and present union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in the House that the ministers should present the details of their properties to the house during the budget session every year.

In 2008, Chouhan gave the details of his properties. He also followed the tradition in 2010.

Afterwards, neither his nor his ministerial colleagues ever presented the details of their properties in the House during his tenure. The ministers of the present government did not also present an account of their properties in the House.

A minister on condition of anonymity said that all candidates gave the details of their properties before the election. But he does not know whether the ministers should put up the details of their properties in the House separately, he said.

Former secretary of Vidhan Sabha BD Israni said giving the details of the properties in the House by ministers began during the tenure of Patwa as chief minister. This tradition should be restarted and there should be probity in public life, he said.

Because the government officers have to give the details of their properties, the ministers, who are also public servants, should give the details of their properties in the House.