Are IAS officers above law? Chaudhuri

Shillong, Jun 27 (UNI) The integrity of the IAS officers serving in Meghalaya raised a flatter in the state assembly today.

Independent MLA Manas Chaudhuri raised a query whether the IAS officers were required to submit statement of personal assets.

Chief Minister JD Rymbai, who is also the in-charge of personnel department, answered in affirmative.

Mr Chaudhuri then wanted to know how many officers in Meghalaya had compiled with it.

Mr Rymbai said, as govern by the IAS (Conduct) Rules, 1968, all the IAS officers have to comply with this requirement of this rule.

The journalist turned politician who was not satisfied with the reply of the Chief Minister asked to name of the IAS officer, who had the highest assests.

But the Chief Minister declined to name the officer stating that it was 'confidential'.

Then, Mr Chaudhuri questioned, why were the statements of IAS officers so confidential when an MLA was required to declare his assets publicly during filing of nomination papers before elections.

In his reply, the Chief Minister said, ''We do not want to protect anyone. Since we don't have any evidence that their (IAS officers') assets are disproportionate to their known sources of income, we can not make it public''.

Mr Rymbai added that reports of personal assets of the IAS, IPS and IFS officials were considered to be 'confidential' and the same could be divulged only during an inquiry by CBI or anti-corruption bureau.

However, Mr Rymbai informed the House that the IAS, IPS and IFS officials serving in the state have to submit a statement of their personal assets every year to the state government and these reports would go to the Centre.

UNI RRK PC KLC1647