Judges free to declare assets voluntarily, says CJI

Amid reports that some Supreme Court judges were in favour of declaring assets, Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan said he did not have any objection to individual judges doing so voluntarily. Satya Prakash reports.

Amid reports that some Supreme Court judges were in favour of declaring assets, Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan on Friday said he did not have any objection to individual judges doing so voluntarily.

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Talking to reporters after releasing former Supreme Court Judge K. Ramaswamy’s autobiography Ceaseless and Relentless Journey, the CJI said his personal views on the issue were “immaterial”. Asked if the apex court judges were meeting to take a unanimous decision on the issue, he said: “We meet every day to discuss all sorts of issues… this issue will also be discussed.”

However, Former CJI RC Lahoti, who attended the function, refused to comment on the issue.

As pressure mounts on the judges to declare their assets, a view is emerging that they should do so voluntarily without waiting for the Delhi High Court’s decision, which is seized of the Supreme Court’s appeal against a Central Information Commission’s order to furnish information whether judges were declaring assets details to the CJI.

Some of the judges are of the view that an adverse verdict from the high court could damage the Supreme Court’s reputation and therefore, they should declare their assets to avoid any such embarrassment. Possible solutions under contemplation included putting up the assets details on a website.