KATHMANDU: Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, who served as the Minister of Finance in the erstwhile Sushil Koirala-led government, and 37 members of the Parliament failed to submit the updated statement of their properties to the concerned authorities even after 90 days of the end of last fiscal year, according to the National Vigilance Centre.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the National Vigilance Centre, which is a government body that focuses on establishment of good governance and control of corruption through preventive measures, said as many as 3,36,731 public office holders out of 3,61,107 submitted the updated statements of their property details after the completion of Fiscal Year 2014/15. The number of submissions is 37,327 more than that in the previous fiscal.

Two members of the Koirala Cabient -- Radha Kumari Gyawali who was Energy Minister and Neelam KC (Mainali) who was Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare -- however, missed the 60-day deadline and submitted the statement of their property details within 30 days of extended the time limit as per the existing law.

The Article 50 of the Prevention of Corruption Control Act , 2059, provisions that individuals assuming a public office shall submit the details of properties in their and their family members' name within 60 days from the date of joining, and update the details within 60 days from the date of completion of each fiscal year along with the sources or evidence there of to the body or authority prescribe d by Government of Nepal having published a notification in the Nepal Gazette.

In case the person assuming a public office, who is unable to submit the statement of property within the 60-day time limit and makes a request for extension of the time limit having stated therein the reasons for his/her not being able to submit such statement, the concerned body or authority may extend the time limit for a period of 30 days in maximum, according to the Article.

Moreover, the person, who fails to submit the statement of property within the extended time limit, is liable to a fine of Rs 5,000. Also, the concerned body or official may investigate having suspected that there is illegal property in his/her and his/her family member's names, the Article says.