ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: The Election Commission said on Saturday that Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, and Section 25A of the Senate (election) Act, 1975, provided that members of parliament and the provincial assemblies should submit statements of assets and liabilities to it by Sept 30 each year.

In a press release issued here, the commission quoted the relevant provision in Section 42A, “Yearly submission of statements of assets and liabilities:

(1) Every member shall, on a form prescribed under clauses (f) of sub-section (2) of Section 12, submit a statement of assets and liabilities of his own, his spouse and dependents annually to the commission by the 30th day of September each year.

(2) The statement of assets and liabilities submitted under sub-section (1) shall be published in the official gazette and copies thereof may be obtained on payment of prescribed fee.

(3) The commission shall, by the 15th day of October each year, notify the names of the period specified in sub-section (1) and by an order, direct that such member shall cease to function till such statement is submitted.

(4) Where a member submits the statements of assets and liabilities under section (1) which is found to be false in material particulars, he may be proceeded against under Section 82 for committing the offence of corrupt practice.”

The commission said it had issued two press releases on Aug 11 and Sept 22 for the facility of the members, drawing their attention to the provisions of law and asking them to send their statements of assets and liabilities by Sept 30.

On Aug 12, letters were addressed to the speakers of the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies and the Senate chairman, requesting them to bring the relevant provision to the notice of the members so that they might be able to file their statements of assets and liabilities in time, it said.

It said that for facilitating filing of statements, the prescribed forms were provided in sufficient number to the secretariats of the Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies for the members.

It said the commission had provided every facility for filing of statements, which was a requirement of the law.

It said the last date for filing of the statements had also been fixed by the law.

The commission had not released the names of any member of parliament or a provincial assembly, the release said.

It said all statements of assets and liabilities received from the members should be placed before the Election Commission, which would consider them in accordance with the law as envisaged in Section 42A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, and 25A of the Senate (election) Act, 1975.