'Publishing asset details of public servants is a matter of State policy'

CHENNAI: Publishing assets details of public servants in online is a matter of policy decision of the State said the Tamil Nadu government pleader before the Madras High Court.

The first division bench of the Madras High Court (MHC) accepted the State side submission and disposed of public interest petition sought to direct the Union and State government to upload the assets details of the public servants in online every year.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes submitted their counter affidavit stating hat the A and B category officers in the Income Tax Department publish the details of their immovable property in online and they cannot issue an order to all the Union government employees to publish their assets details, it should be decided by the respective departments.

The counter affidavits submitted by the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary of the State stated that the asset details of every public servant is informed to their respective departments every year. Further, the IAS, IPS and IFS officers are publishing their assets details every year in online, read the affidavit.

The government pleader Muthukumar submitted that under Tamil Nadu government servants' conduct rules, 1973 ) (Rule 7)(3) every government servant shall submit a return of his assets and liabilities details in every five year. Publishing assets details of public servants in online every year is a matter of policy decision of the State, said the government pleader

Petitioner K K Ramesh from Madurai moved the MHC seeking to direct the Union and State governments to issue an order to every public servants to publish their asset details in the online every year, to curtail the corruption.