The GOOD and the NOT-SO-GOOD about the Lokpal Amendment Act!

It provides
interim relief, doing away with the requirement to declare personal
assets and liabilities by 31st
July 2016

The competent authority in
respect of each Ministry or Department (e.g. Ministry of Home
Affairs in cases where the organization receives more than Rs. 10
Lakhs from foreign source) will not publish the statements filed by
the “public servants” (trustees and officers of NGOs and
charitable institutions) on the Ministry’s own website.

Assets of spouse and dependent
children need not be declared

Since Section 14 of the Act has
not been amended, trustees and officers of NGOs and charitable
institutions which receive more than Rs. 1 Crore from the Central
Government or donations in excess of Rs. 10 Lakhs from ‘foreign
source’ under FCRA continue to be deemed ‘public servants’

Such ‘public servants’ are
required to make a declaration of their assets and liabilities in
such form and manner as may be prescribed. In other words there will
be new forms and new due dates declared at the appropriate time.

We can ill afford to remain
complacent.

We need to ensure that the new
Rules are not adversarial

There is need for advocacy and
NGOs and their networks like VANI, PRIA, CAP etc., must work closely
with the Standing Committee.

If despite best efforts the new
Rules are adversarial, we may have to seek legal redress through the
courts of law.