HC: IAS officers should declare spouse’S assets
The AP High Court on Wednesday put an end to the ambiguity in the conduct rules of All India Services regarding declaring the assets of the family members of officers, particularly spouses. Dealing with the case pertaining to the quarrelling cops — V. Dinesh Reddy and Umesh Kumar — the HC directed the former to declare his and his wife’ assets within two weeks. The court was reacting to the petition that Mr Dinesh Reddy did not disclose certain properties of his wife in the annual property returns.
Mr Kumar alleged in his petition that Mr Dinesh Reddy’s wife was involved in 542 property transactions through two people — Ravi Prasad and Krishna Reddy — but they did not figure in the APRs. “There is an ambiguity in the conduct rules itself,” a senior official said. While Rule 16 says IAS officers should disclose properties acquired by self or family members, the subsequent clarifications says properties acquired by family members from their own source of income need not be disclosed. The government, in counter affidavit, brought to the court’s notice the Rule and the clarifications issued by the Centre.
The HC obtained the particulars of an LTC and medical assistance availed by the DGP and his wife. The court ruled that the declaration of assets by the spouse “must be read as obligatory as the spouse is being extended benefits from the public exchequer.” The court asked the DGP to explain the 31 or so land transactions carried out by his wife between 2005-2007.
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