154 Parliamentarians Stopped To Function On Not Submitting Assets' Statements

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday directed to cease 154 parliamentarians to function as members on not submitting their statements of assets and liabilities by due date of January 15

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jan, 2021 ) :The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday directed to cease 154 parliamentarians to function as members on not submitting their statements of assets and liabilities by due date of January 15.

According to ECP notification, these members will not be allowed to function as members parliament till such statements are submitted by them included three members Senate, 48 members National Assembly, 52 Punjab assembly, 19 Sindh assembly, 26 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly and six Balochistan assembly members.

Meanwhile, an official of ECP said that so far 1,031 parliamentarians have submitted their yearly statements of assets and liabilities for financial year 2019-20 while as many as 154 parliamentarians couldn't submit their assets details out of total 1195 parliamentarians while 10 seats are still vacant.

He said that those who submitted their assets details included 101 senators, 292 members National Assembly, 316 members Punjab Assembly, 146 members Sindh Assembly, 118 members Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and 58 members Balochistan Assembly.

He added that those who failed to submit their assets details within due date included three senators, 48 members National Assembly, 52 members Punjab Assembly, 19 members Sindh Assembly, 26 members Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and six members Balochistan Assembly.

Under Section 137 of the Elections Act, 2017 every member of an assembly and Senate have to submit to the Commission, on or before December 31st each year, a copy of statement of assets and liabilities including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children as on the preceding thirtieth day of June on Form B.

The commission, on the first day of January each year through a press release, publishes the Names of members who failed to submit the requisite statement of assets and liabilities within the period specified under sub-section (1).

He said that the Commission, on the sixteenth day of January, by an order suspends the membership of a member of an assembly and Senate who fails to submit the statement of assets and liabilities by the fifteenth day of January and such member will cease to function till he or she files the statement of assets and liabilities.

He added if any member submits the statement of assets and liabilities under this section which is found to be false in material particulars, he or she may within one hundred and twenty days from the date of submission of the statement, be proceeded against for committing the offence of corrupt practice.