NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to explain in two weeks why it has not set up a permanent mechanism to monitor the undue accretion of assets by elected representatives as directed by it last year.
On Feb 16 last year, the Apex Court had said the undue accretion of assets by lawmakers was a “sure indicator” of the beginning of a failing democracy, which if left unattended, would lead to the destruction of democracy and pave way for “rule of mafia”.
It had then asked for a permanent mechanism to monitor the undue accretion of wealth by lawmakers.
On Tuesday, hearing a contempt plea filed by NGO ‘Lok Prahari’, it said it was not issuing any notice but seeking a reply from the secretary of legislative department of the Union of India why the court’s directions were not complied with.
The NGO has claimed that certain directions issued by the court on Feb 16 last year have not been complied with.
The court also asked the secretary to explain what his department has done with respect to non-disclosure or part disclosure of assets which would amount to “undue influence” under the Representation of People’s (RP) Act.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna asked the secretary to explain why Form 26, which every candidate is required to fill during his nomination, does not contain a declaration on whether he or she has suffered any kind of disqualification under the RP Act. (AGENCIES)
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