CJI: Judges agree to diclose their assets

Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts in the country have finally agreed to make their assets and liabilities public subject to a rider that they are given adequate legal protection against frivolous and vexatious litigations by unscrupulous and disgruntled elements.

Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan has agreed that judges have no objection to the idea of disclosing their assets publicly if they get adequate legal protection against unnecessary harassment at the hand of mischievous elements.

The reaction of the CJI was in response to the move of the Union Law Ministry to make it mandatory for the judges of the superior courts to disclose their assets.

The CJI had discussed the issue with the Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, who is reported to have agreed to provide adequate safeguards to the judges. The Minister also appreciated the stand of the CJI that judges are not like politicians and bureaucrats and they have to discharge various types of duties and obligations.

There has been long standing demand from all sections of society that judges of the superior courts in the country must reveal their assets like other public servants.

Justice Balakrishnan had stated that all judges of the Supreme Court reveal their assets to the CJI at the time of their appointment and judges of High Court to the Chief justice of their respective High Court.

Moreover, all judges file income tax return which carry the complete details of their assets and liabilities. The controversy took a decisive turn when Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) held that under the RTI Act judges are bound to reveal their assets.

The Supreme Court went in appeal against the CIC order to Delhi High Court and got an interim stay against the order.

Judges have reportedly agreed to put the details of their assets and liabilities on the Supreme Court web sites and also on the web sites of the respective High Courts. There has been rising demand from different sections of society that in order to check corruption in judiciary, disclosure of the assets of the judges was necessary.