Chief Election Commissioner, Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq (Retd) has sought submission of yearly statements of assets and liabilities by the parliamentarians till September 30, 2007.
The Chief Election Commissioner has drawn attention of the members of the Parliament and provincial assemblies to submit the yearly statement of assets and liabilities of their own, their spouses and dependants to the Election Commission by September 30, 2007.
This is a mandatory requirement under Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 and Section 25A of the Senate (Election) Act, 1975. The statements of assets and liabilities are published in the official gazette and then the Chief Election notify the names of those on October 15, who failed to submit such statements.
The CEC then directs that such members would cease to function who fail to submit these statements. Section 42A provides; "(1) Every member shall, on a form prescribed under clause (f) of sub-section (2) of section 12, submit a statement of assets and liabilities of his own, his spouse and dependants annually to the Commission by September 30, each year.
(2)The statement of assets and liabilities submitted under sub-section (1) shall be published in the official Gazette and copies thereof may be obtained on payment of prescribed fee.
(3)The Commissioner shall, by the fifteenth day of October each year, notify the names of the members who fail to file statements of assets and liabilities within the period specified in sub-section (1) and by an order, direct that such member shall cease to function till such statement is submitted.
(4)Where a member submits the statement of assets and liabilities under sub-section (1) which is found to be false in material particulars, he may be proceeded against under section 82 for committing the offence of corrupts practice." Similarly, section 25A about submission of statement of assets and liabilities provides;
(1)Every member shall, in the prescribed form, submit a statement of assets and liabilities of his own, his spouse and dependants annually to the Commissioner by the thirtieth day of September each year.
(2)The Statement of assets and liabilities submitted under sub section (1) shall be published in the Official Gazette and copies thereof can be obtained on payment of prescribed fee.
(3)The Commission shall, by the fifteenth day of October each year, notify the names of the members who fail to file statements of assets and liabilities within the period specified in sub-section (1) and by an order, direct that such member shall cease t function till such statement is submitted.
(4)Where a member submits the statement of assets and liabilities under sub-section (1) which is found to be false in material particulars; he may be receded under section 62 committing the offence of corrupt practice."
The members of the Senate, National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies of the Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan are therefore, required to submit yearly statements of assets and liabilities of their own, their spouses and dependants by September 30, 2007 in the Election Commission Secretariat.
The prescribed forms are available, free of cost, from the Election Commission Secretariat, Islamabad and offices of provincial Election Commissioners in each Province. Forms are also being sent to the Senate Secretariat, National Assembly Secretariat and Secretariats of all the four Provincial Assemblies to facilitate the Parliamentarians.