As many as 454 bureaucrats have not submitted their annual property returns on time, prompting the government to recommend action against them.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has sent a list of such defaulters, at the level of Under Secretary and above, to the departments concerned asking them to furnish Immovable Property Returns (IPRs) without "further delay" and advised "appropriate action".

Out of these 454 bureaucrats, the maximum are from Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (58), followed by Home Ministry (40), Health and Family Welfare Ministry (36), Environment Ministry (32) and Defence Ministry (28).

Officers from Cabinet Secretariat, Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission, Central Information Commission, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Culture Ministry and Finance Ministry among others also appear on the list of defaulters issued by the DoPT.

As per a government directive, Central Secretariat Service officers were asked to submit their IPRs for 2011 by January 31 this year.

"However, the IPRs in respect of a large number of officers have not yet been received in this Division as yet...

Administrative Ministries/Departments are, therefore, requested to obtain the IPRs for the year 2011 in respect of the defaulting officers and send the same to this Division without any further delay," an office memorandum issued by DoPT said.

"It is also requested that appropriate action be taken in case of officers who failed to submit the IPRs on stipulated time, besides ensuring that appropriate entry regarding late submission/non submission of IPRs is made in the relevant Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) of the concerned officer," the memorandum noted.