NMC members’ asset information still not uploaded as law mandates | India News

Though the health ministry informed Parliament that the chairperson and members of the National Medical Commission (NMC) have submitted declarations of their assets as stipulated by the NMC Act, none of the declarations have been put up on the website of the commission as mandated by the Act.

Since it was constituted in September 2020, many members have finished their tenure and new ones have taken their place, but none of their declarations are available in the public domain. Section 6(6) of the NMC Act states that “the Chairperson and every member of the Commission shall make declaration of his assets and his liabilities at the time of entering upon his office and at the time of demitting his office and also declare his professional and commercial engagement or involvement in such form and manner as may be prescribed, and such declaration shall be published on the website of the Commission”.
On July 25, a Rajya Sabha MP asked whether the provisions of the Act related to declaration of assets was being followed by the NMC and sought details of declarations made so far. However, minister of state for health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar merely stated that “as per the information provided by the NMC, the chairperson and members have submitted the prescribed declarations”.

The minister did not give details of the declaration as sought in the question and did not mention either that section 6(6) not only stipulates declaration of assets but also mandates that it should be published on the NMC website. Not publishing it is flouting of the provisions of the NMC Act.
Though the tenure of the NMC chairperson Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma continues, several other members’ tenures came to an end last September. Yet none of their declarations while assuming office or demitting are available on the commission’s website. Queries sent by TOI on the issue got no response from NMC.