Income Tax department to cross check politicians assets

In a startling initiative, the Income Tax Department is going to review the properties of Members of Parliament and also those who contested for the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and faced defeat.
This will be in addition to the affidavits they had already filed before the Election Commission and in a way it will be cross checking of what had been filed by the individual candidates and what actually they possess.
Sources in the Department of Income Tax told Central Chronicle that a separate letter has been sent to many candidates who had contested seeking clarifications on their claims on their belongings. The official said that plan is to seek the clarification from all the candidates irrespective of the fact whether they won or not.
The move might create hue and cry in the political circles as most of them don’t show their actual income and assets and this is one of the reasons of the survival of political corruption. The enormous expenditure in the election is also one of the reasons of the unaccounted wealth of candidates in particular and their managing capacity from their benami sources in general.
However, it is not clear whether the letters will be sent to the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or LK Advani to know their assets too.
“Please refer to the deposition made in the affidavit … filed before the returning officer … regarding movable/immovable assets owned by you in connection with General Election (Lok Sabha) 2009,” the letter sent to the MPs mentioned.
“You are requested to substantiate your affidavit as above with supporting evidence in the following format with your Permanent Account Number, and the copies of receipt for filing returns of income for the last three years, if any,” the letter added.
The letter is written in a way suspecting the claims of the affidavit filed by the candidates.
The format given to the candidates include details of their movable and immovable properties with date and cost of their “acquisition” and also “mode of payment” whether by cash or cheque.
The candidates will be given two months time to respond to the notice by the Department.
The move seems to force the individuals to show their actual assets before the election commission, otherwise it was just becoming a customary and a farce tale of electioneering process.
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