NGOs, govt employees to file assets details by December 31

This is the sixth extension given to about 5 mn govt employees, and for NGOs and their executives, this is the first such extension

Central government employees, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) receiving foreign and domestic grant and their executives need to file details of their assets and liabilities by the extended deadline of December 31.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday issued an order notifying the new deadline.

This is the sixth extension given to about 5 million government employees for filing details of assets and liabilities, along with that of their spouses and dependent children, as part of mandatory obligations under the Lokpal Act. Whereas, for NGOs and their executives, this is the first such extension.

The existing deadline was to end on Sunday.
 

The six-month extension came after Parliament had on Thursday passed a Bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, following representations from Members of Parliament against one of the provisions of the law that mandates disclosure of assets by NGOs and their office-bearers.

The Lok Sabha had on Wednesday passed the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill, 2016. It got Rajya Sabha nod on Thursday.

With the latest extension, the declarations now need to be filed by December 31. The declarations under the Lokpal law are in addition to similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules.

As per rules, notified under the Lokpal Act, every public servant shall file declaration, information and annual returns pertaining to his assets and liabilities as on March 31 every year or on or before July 31 of that year.

For 2014, the last date for filing returns was September 15 of that year. It was first extended till December 2014, then till April 30, 2015 and third extension was up to October 15. The date was then extended to April 15 and then July 31, this year for filing of the returns.

The DoPT had last month issued an order bringing NGOs receiving more than Rs 1 crore in government grants and donations above Rs 10 lakh from abroad under the ambit of the Lokpal. The order had mandated filing of mandatory returns of the assets and liabilities by such organisations and their executives — director, manager, secretary or any other officer.