Chandigarh: All MLAs in Punjab will have to declare their immovable properties on January 1 every year under a new bill passed by the state assembly today.   The main opposition Aam Aadmi Party welcomed the Punjab Legislative Assembly (Salaries and Allowances of Members) Amendment Bill, 2017 but demanded that MLAs and ministers should also declare their business interests.   

The Bill was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra on the second day of the winter session of Punjab Assembly here today. Notably, in its first meeting on March 18 after the Congress government was formed in Punjab, the state cabinet had announced that all MLAs would declare their immovable properties on January 1 every year.   

Seeking amendment in the bill, AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu said, "The government should also ensure that business interests of all the MLAs and ministers are declared."  He also asked the government to bring the promised the Conflict of Interest Bill.  While participating in the discussion, BJP MLA Som Prakash sought amendments in the Bill in connection with the date of declaring the immovable properties.   

"If somebody cannot declare immovable assets on January one because of some emergency or some urgent work, then what will one do in that case," Prakash said while seeking more clarity on this issue. Meanwhile, Speaker Rana K P Singh directed the parliamentary affairs minister to provide timely copies of the bill to the opposition after AAP MLAs H S Phoolka and Kanwar Sandhu said they did not get enough time to peruse it to propose amendments.   

The issue came up when the Speaker told Sandhu he should have informed about the proposed amendments to the Bills two days before its presentation. The AAP MLA replied that they got the copies of the bill only last evening. The House also passed the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2017. PTI