Kathmandu, February 23

In response to a letter of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has directed all district development committees, district technical offices, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, sub-metropolitan cities and municipalities to cause their concerned employees to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each for their failure to submit property details on time.

As per the directive issued yesterday, employees, who have yet to submit their property details, will be required to pay the prescribed fine within 30 days from the receipt of the letter and furnish their property details within the next 30 days.

“The head of office, who do not cause their employees to pay fines and furnish property details within the given time, will be responsible for consequences,” read the letter issued by the MoFALD.

As many as 446 employees under the MoFALD have yet to submit their property details while 95 others had furnished their details after expiry of the deadline.

Similarly, three employee had not submitted their property details for the fiscal year 2014-15 within 60 days of their appointment.

Likewise, as many as 1,422 employees under the district development committees and minicipalities have not furnished their property details and 195 others had submitted the details after expiry of the deadline.

As per the Prevention of Corruption Act-2002, any person who joins public office is, within 60 days from the date of joining such office and thereafter within 60 days from the date of completion of each fiscal year, required to submit the updated statement of property in his/her or his/her family members’ name along with sources of income to the body prescribed by the government.

The concerned body or authority may extend the deadline for submission of such details for a maximum of 30 days.

If the person assuming public office does not submit the statement of property within the time-limit extended, he/she will be liable to a fine of Rs 5,000 and the concerned body or official may launch investigation into the property in his/her and his/her family members’ names.

A deadline of September 14, 2015 was set for the persons assuming public office to furnish property details for the fiscal 2014-15.