Many IAS officers not filing property returns: Panel

Animesh Singh

New Delhi, January 10

In the light of the fact that a large number of IAS officers have not been filing their annual immovable property returns (IPR), a three-member committee of the Department of Personnel has suggested to the Centre that a provision of mandating timely submission of IPR be made a prerequisite for being promoted to next higher grade applicable to the officers of the All India Services for all Central government services, so as to ensure uniform standards of transparency, accountability and probity.

As per norms, all officers of the All India Services are required to submit their annual immovable property return by January 31 or disciplinary proceedings could be intimated against them. The panel, which consists of Additional Secretary-level officers of the Department of Personnel, has further suggested that all present and future mechanisms to promote greater compliance regarding timely filing of IPR should be applicable uniformly to all officers of the Central Civil Services. Meanwhile, to ensure timely filing of IPR, the panel has also suggested shifting of the deadline of online submission of IPR from the existing January 1 to 31 timeline to the April 1 to 30 duration, sources said.

This, they said, would help the exercise take place in sync with the deadline of income tax returns filing, thus ensuring easier compliance and greater accuracy of information provided by officers concerned.