Transparency in public life goes for a toss when it comes to the doorstep of the highest law making body of the State — the Jharkhand Assembly. Information suggests that few legislators, cutting across party lines, are actually interested in declaring their assets before the Assembly for public viewing, which is their duty under the rules and provisions of the Assembly.
Sources in the Assembly Secretariat told The Pioneer that 11 MlAs have till date come up with their asset details that can be considered shocking amid tall talks about transparency and e-governance. Notably, the members are about to complete one year in the House.
“We have got asset declaration from Raghu Nandan Mandal (BJP, Godda), Radha Krishna Kishore (BJP, Chattarpur), Jai Prakash Verma (BJP, Gandey), Dasrath Gagrai (JMM, Kharsawan), Phulchand Mandal (BJP, Sindri), Deepak Birua (JMM, Chaibasa), Nalin Soren (JMM, Sikaripara), Jeetu Charan Ram (BJP, Kanke) so far,” said a senior official of Personnel Department of the Assembly.
This apart, just three members of the Cabinet have come out in open with their movable and immovable property details. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Saryu Roy, Water Resources Minister Chandra Prakash Chaudhary and Health and Family Welfare Minister Ramchandra Chadravansi have submitted the details with the Assembly to be made public.
Moreover, notable omission from the list is of the ‘guardian’ of the House i.e. Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon, who tried to play down the tendency. “All the members are newly elected and have declared their assets at the time of their nominations. Thus, we could not pressurise them much. There is not any rule in this regard either which is mandatory in nature. This can be done during the next session of the Assembly,” said the Speaker.
The situation is so when the concerned section of the Assembly has dispatched around six letters and consequent reminders to the ‘honourables’ for complying with the Schedule-10 provisions. “leave alone the reminders about submitting their asset details, we have also written them to give in writing their party details on which they have been elected. The information is mandatory for entry into the Register-II but of no heed,” said the hapless sounding official terming it an absurd situation.
When pressed further, the Assembly Secretariat admitted that there was no rule under which the members can be compelled to abide by the provisions. “We can just keep writing to them. On several occasions, we have even provided them with the forms but they fear for the reasons unknown. Perhaps their reluctance to come in public domain and become a subject of public glaring is the reason behind,” added another.
Ruling BJP’s chief whip, on his part, cited the lack of statutory provisions behind the lacuna. “The Assembly cannot seek any such information or pressurise the party for making available any information on the part of their MlAs. It is entirely between the Assembly Secretariat and the individual concerned. Any party has nothing to do with all that,” said Radha Krishna Kishore.
As the total strength of rule abiding law makers is extremely thin, the Assembly Secretariat has kept the file under wraps and not uploading the names came so far on its website. Official website of the Assembly displays the list of previous MlAs or the members of the third Assembly only.
“We have nothing much to showcase. Instead, we may plan and try to issue a directive in this regard from the Speaker during the proceeding itself so that the issue can come under media glare and some pressure can be exerted onto them,” said a senior official putting it as the last resort.