CJI, other Supreme Court judges declare assets

Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan owns a Santro Car and 20 sovereigns of gold jewellery as moveable property and three houses and two plots as immovable assets as he along with 20 other judges of the Supreme Court today made public details of their assets. Details of CJI's assets

Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan owns a Santro Car and 20 sovereigns of gold jewellery as moveable property and three houses and two plots as immovable assets as he along with 20 other judges of the Supreme Court on Monday made public details of their assets.

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While he has no investment in shares and fixed deposits, the assets declared by the CJI on the apex court's official website shows that he has immoveable property worth over Rs 18.08 lakh which excludes the house on 15 cents of land in Thrikkakara south village, Kanayanur Taluk in Kerala, whose valuation was not mentioned in the declaration.

The declaration of the CJI and others climaxed months of controversy triggered by right to information petitions seeking transparency about the assets of judges of higher judiciary that culminated in a battle in the Delhi High Court.

The Supreme Court adopted a strident stand in the High Court saying the judges were not not covered by such a provision but later relented under mounting public and media pressure.

The CJI owns a two bedroom flat in Mamangalam, Edipally, Ernakulam, costing Rs 5,75 lakhs and a family property of Rs 3.5 lakh in Najeezhoor Kaduthurty village, Vaikom Taluk.