'Timely filing of property details by babus must pre-condition for vigilance clearance'

New Delhi: The Central Vigilance Commission said the timely filing of immovable property returns by government officers is a mandatory pre-condition for vigilance clearance sought by the ministries for their empanelment for senior-level posts.

In an order, it cited a directive by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) that says that members of central civil services/posts who fail to submit annual immovable property returns (AIPR) of the relevant year within the prescribed time limit, would be denied vigilance clearance and they will not be considered for empanelment for senior-level posts in the Government of India.

As the timely filing of AIPR is a mandatory pre-condition for vigilance clearance, all ministries/departments/organisations are requested to ensure that all officers, for whom vigilance input is solicited from the Commission, have filed AIPR within the stipulated time limit, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) said in the order.

ln future, confirmation on timely filing of property return by the concerned officer(s), or deviation in this regard, may also be recorded on the covering letter of proposals seeking vigilance clearance from the Commission, to avoid delay in the processing of the cases, said the order issued on March 16.

The CVC said although filing of AIPR on time is a mandatory pre-condition for grant of vigilance clearance so far, the commission has not been collecting information on AIPR filing while considering proposals for vigilance clearance, and screening to this effect is left to the concerned ministry/department/organisation, it said.

However, some proposals received by the commission do contain information on AIPR filing by the concerned officers, and the same is taken into account while finalising input on their vigilance status, the order noted.

The officers are required to submit the property return latest by January 31 each year, according to the order.