In a significant order, the State Information Commission has made it mandatory for information regarding wealth and assets of the bureaucrats of the State to be displayed on websites. Madhya Pradesh will become the first state in the country, which will have the wealth and assets of officers of All India Services and other staffers displayed on websites from May 1, 2010.

The State Information Commission has issued an order that a person should be informed about the wealth and assets of a government servant without seeking information from them. To make it possible the Commission has asked the government to get the property details of its officers and other staff annually and display them on the websites so that people know the assets held by the public servants.

In February last year, Chaudhary Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi, deputy leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, had moved an application under the Right to Information Act both before Police as well as General Administration. He had sought details of the wealth and properties of IAS and IPS officers of the State. His applications were turned down. Then he moved appellate authorities of the relevant departments, which also dismissed his appeals. It was after this that he moved the State Information Commission.

Now that the State Information Commission has announced its decision on the appeal of the deputy leader of the Opposition, the Government has been forced to make the assets held by officers transparent to the people.

In his order, the Chief Information Commissioner of Madhya Pradesh, P. P. Tiwari said that RTI Act aims at ensuring a corruption-free administration.

In the wake of the order, the people's representatives, officers and other government officials will have to declare their assets each and every year, and the same will be displayed on the website for public information.

RTI activist Ajay Dubey says that the State Information Commission has come up with many judgments, which may go a long way to reduce corruption in the administration. (IPA)