Muristek
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, May 29
Amid a growing number of family pension claims by eligible dependents of deceased and former Members of Parliament, the government has decided to enforce a stringent set of rules to spot rightful claimants and ensure only they get the due.
Official sources said Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats have been receiving multiple pension claims from family members of deceased and former MPs, claiming to be the rightful heirs.
New set of norms
Spouse of late or ex-MP will need to submit the original ID of the MP, marriage certificate or succession certificate and an indemnity bond certified by a magistrate MPs' dependent claiming the pension will have to furnish an affidavit every year saying he or she continues to be the dependentIn certain cases, more than one claim has been filed by women and children, claiming to be dependents of MPs.
The government has now agreed to implement new rules drafted by the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament to check multiple claims.
Going forward, all MPs, immediately after taking their seat in the respective Houses of Parliament, will need to submit four photographs and as many specimen signatures or thumb impressions of their spouse or dependents, and intimate Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha Secretariats immediately in case of change in the status of claimants.
Former members, at the time of submitting the application for pension, will need to furnish the same details as sitting MPs.
Importantly, the spouse, while applying for MP's family pension, will not only have to submit a death certificate issued by the municipal authority or the local panchayat, but also the ex-member's identity card in original or an affidavit reflecting misplacement if the card has been lost.