PANJIM: Municipal councilors who fail to submit their financial statements, disclosing their annual assets and liabilities, before the Goa Lokayukta will be liable for disqualification in future as the State government intends to make the submission mandatory by amending the Goa Municipalities Act.
Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza expressed displeasure towards the failure of councilors to submit their financial statements disclosing their assets and liabilities before the Lokayukta.
“Though under the Lokayukta Act it is mandatory, there is no stringent action against those who fail to submit the details,” he told media persons. “It is also not part of the Municipalities Act and hence councilors do not take it seriously. We have to now incorporate it in the Act,” he added.
The Minister said the government will bring in necessary amendments to the Act, wherein those councilors who fail to submit their financial details to Lokayukta would be liable for disqualification. “This will force the councilors to adhere to the rules,” he said.
Every year, the Goa Lokayukta directs all public functionaries, including Ministers, MLAs, Panchayat members, Municipal councilors, ZP members, etc to file their respective statements of assets and liabilities for the financial year that has concluded. Failure to do so, leads to the Lokayukta publishing their names. Several MLAs, panchas, councilors still fail to file their statements.
During the last Assembly session, the names of three sitting MLAs, two former Ministers and seven former MLAs were made public for their failure to submit the details.
