Over 1,500 local representatives have failed to declare assets: Lokayukta data

Panaji: As many as 1,584 public representatives, including zilla panchayat members, councillors of the City Corporation of Panaji (CCP), municipal councillors and village panchayat members, failed to submit mandatory statements of assets and liabilities for 2023-24 to the Lokayukta. In contrast, all MLAs filed their disclosures for the same period.

Pratibha Dessai, registrar at the lokayukta, said under the Goa Lokayukta Act, 2011, public functionaries must file asset statements within six months of assuming office and thereafter before Nov 5 each year.

“However, some public functionaries failed to comply by April 24, 2026, for the year ending March 31, 2024, though the last date was Nov 5, 2024, as required by law. A report has been sent to the competent authorities,” Dessai said, and added that copies were also sent to the concerned functionaries.

“Although notice was issued as contemplated, some public functionaries have still not submitted such statements of assets and liabilities for the year 2023-24 till April 24, 2026,” she said.

Meanwhile, Goa lokayukta and former Bombay high court judge Sandeep Kashinath Shinde has begun hearings in pending cases.

The lokayukta had remained non-functional since the tenure of former Bombay HC judge Ambadas Joshi ended in Dec 2024.

At present, 18 cases are pending before the lokayukta, two have been disposed of and four new cases filed after it resumed functioning.

Following several indictments in corruption cases involving public functionaries, govt amended the Act, diluting the institution’s powers. The changes removed provisions allowing complaints against public functionaries on grounds such as nepotism, lack of integrity, maladministration and improper or corrupt motive.


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