New Delhi: 140 Rajya Sabha members have
declared that they do not have any pecuniary interests as
directors of companies, controlling shares, regular salaries,
paid consultancies and professional engagements despite some
of them having declared assets worth crores in their election
affidavits.
Voluntary groups, Association of Democratic Reforms and
National Election Watch, which received this information under
the Right to Information Act, on Thursday made public the Register
of Interests of Rajya Sabha Members where, under rules, they
declare their interests in various companies, businesses and
remuneration received.
The form mandatory to be filled within 90 days of taking
oath requires a Rajya Sabha member to declare their interests
under five heads -- remunerative directorship, shareholding of
controlling nature, regular remunerated activity, paid
consultancy and professional engagement.
The group said as per information received by them, out
of 232 MPs whose details have been furnished by Rajya Sabha,
140 have declared they do not have any pecuniary interests in
the heads given in the declaration form.
"However, in their declaration forms given to Election
Commission, some of these 140 MPs have declared assets worth
crores. According to Election Commission data about 58 per
cent of RS members are 'crorepati'. It is interesting to see
that they have assets yet no regular pecuniary interests,"
Anil Bairwal, National Coordinator, National Election Watch
and Association for Democratic Reforms said.
The top three MPs who have said they do not have any
pecuniary interests, yet have high assets, includes T
Subbarami Reddy of Congress having total declared assets worth
Rs 259.25 crore, Congress' Karan Singh with assets of Rs 57.89
crore and Shiv Sena's Rajkumar Dhoot having assets of Rs 29.53
crore.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 15:57