A Parliamentary panel has suggested punitive action against Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers for failing to file their property details within the prescribed time limit. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice on the Demands for Grants (2025-26) pertaining to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), has suggested it in its report. According to the report, 91 IAS officers have not filed their immovable property returns (IPRs) in 2024.
This report was tabled in Parliament on March 27. It needs to be mentioned here that it was due to non-filing of IPRs by IAS officers in different years that Vigilance clearance was denied to 15 IAS officers in 2023, 12 in 2022 and 14 in 2021. Vigilance clearance is mandatory for IAS officers to join certain posts.
In order to get rid of this systemic malaise, the panel has recommended a centralised compliance monitoring mechanism to ensure timely filing of IPRs by all IAS officers.
Additionally, the committee proposes to introduce penalties or corrective actions for non-compliance, including automatic escalation procedures for officers who fail to file their IPRs despite reminders the report said.
The panel says that corrective action is necessary to strengthen accountability and ensure timely filing of property details so that greater adherence to the requirements could be ascertained.
