Over 140 MLAs did not disclose their PAN (permanent account number) details during the 2006 Assembly elections. The list includes crorepati MLAs AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, IT minister Poongodhai Aladi Aruna and Mylapore MLA S.Ve. Shekher. The election commission has made it compulsory for all contestants to give PAN details this time.
As per the nominations filed in 2006 by Ms Jayalalithaa, she had `24 crore worth of assets, which includes `2 crore worth movable assets and `22 crore worth immovable assets. But she did not declare her PAN card details. When asked for his reaction, Mr S.Ve. Shekher said he did not give the PAN card details last time but disclosed his assets. “I clearly mentioned my asset details in the nomination paper. I would not have received the PAN card during 2006. But I welcome the move of the election commission making the PAN details mandatory,” he said.
The list of crorepati MLAs who failed to declare their PAN details includes social welfare minister P. Geetha Jeevan, health minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, Namakkal MLA Duraisamy, Cumbum MLA N. Ramakrishnan and Tiruvallur MLA Shivaji. Lauding the initiative, former chief electoral officer Naresh Gupta said, “In the last Assembly elections, several complaints were brought to the notice of the Election Commission of India regarding the misuse of money and illegal expenditure. That’s why the election commission has made it mandatory to disclose the PAN details this time. The IT department will play a major role in this elections,” he said.