File property details on time or face disciplinary proceedings: Centre warns IAS officers

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday asked all IAS officers to submit their property details on time, the failure of which will attract disciplinary proceedings, a Personnel Ministry communiqu said.

It said the filing of these details by the officers within the specified time frame are required by them for being considered for the appointment in the next level of pay in the pay matrix.

“As you would be aware that all the members of the IAS are required to submit their Immovable Property Returns (IPRs) every year as on 1st January and latest by 15th January and failure to ensure timely submission of IPR constitutes good and sufficient reason for institution of disciplinary proceedings, among other things,” said the letter issued to secretaries of all central government departments on Tuesday.

Referring to its earlier directive, it said a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) shall file IPR for the previous year within the time frame specified for the purpose, i.e. January 31, for being considered for appointment in the next level of pay in the pay matrix.

“I would, therefore, request you to issue necessary instructions to all the IAS officers working in your ministry and its various organizations, including international organisations, to ensure that they submit their IPRs online in the IPR module for the year ending on 31st December, 2021, within the prescribed timeline of 31st January, 2022,” the letter said.

An identical letter was also issued to chief secretaries of the state governments by the Personnel Ministry, which acts as the cadre controlling authority of the IAS officers.

A Parliamentary Committee in its report, tabled in Parliament recently, has noted with concern that over 300 IAS officers have not submitted their annual Immovable Property Returns for the year 2020 in the stipulated time limit.

This makes a case for institution of stringent measures other than denial of vigilance clearance against erring officers. The Committee recommends DoPT (Department of Personnel and Training) and CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) to increase surveillance on the activities of such officials. The Committee also recommends DoPT to furnish a status note detailing the stringent measures that can be taken against IAS Officers who fail to file IPRs within the stipulated time limit, it had said.