New Delhi : An RTI query has revealed that almost one fifth of the Lok Sabha MP's are yet to declare their assets with most of them belonging to the ruling Congress.

The RTI filed by Ramesh Verma shows that despite repeated reminders from the Lok Sabha secretariat for three months, 110 MPs have refused to submit the details of their assets and liabilities. The MP's are supposed to submit the details of their assets and liabilities within 90 days of taking office. In Parliamentary parlance, not declaring the details of their assets and liabilities is a breach of privilege. "I have written to the honourable MPs and I have reminded them. I hope they will be sending all the documents in the near future," said Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

"These are the requirements of the law," said Lok Sabha Secretary-General PDT Achary.

The list cuts across party lines but the maximum number of offenders are from the ruling Congress party which has 41 of its MPs on the list. The other offending MPs include a former prime minister, former ministers and even young guns. The list of offenders include former prime minister and self-styled crusader for farmers HD Devegowda, former railway minister and chief minister of Bihar Lalu Prasad, First time Congress MP and party spokesperson Manish Tewari. Film star and Congress MP Raj Babbar, young gun Deepinder Hooda, Deputy Leader of Opposition Gopi Nath Munde and former cricketer-turned-MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, too, are on the dubious list.

Other prominent MPs on the list include Jayant Chowdhury, Kalyan Singh, Asauddin Owassi, Kariya Munda, Shruti Chowdhury, Arjun Munda and Jagdambika Pal. The Representation of the People Act, 1951, was amended in 2002 only to bring in more transparency. The law now demands MPs must declare their assets including property and liabilities to the Lok Sabha Secretariat within 90 days of taking oath. But the MPs, too, have their defence ready. "I think it is a case of just administrative oversight. The form was filled but somebody in the office forgot to put it in," claimed Tewari. "It is just a formality," said Munde.

After all, they did declare assets - once to the Election Commission at the time of filing nominations before the Lok Sabha elections. Whatever be the reason, it is ironic that lawmakers professing transparency are unwilling to follow laws that they themselves enact. The need to declare assets of MPs started in 2002, when the Representation of People Act was amended. MPs are required to submit details of all assets and liabilities within 90 days of taking oath.