New Delhi, April 3: In a bid towards transparency in the judiciary, all the Judges of the Supreme Court have agreed to make a declaration of their assets. When the apex court is functioning at a strength of 33 judges at present, 30 judges have submitted their declarations of assets so far, as per the information available on the official website.
The Supreme Court ought to function with a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). “The Full Court of the Supreme Court of India had resolved that Judges should make a declaration of their assets on assuming office and whenever any acquisition of a substantial nature is made, to the Chief Justice,” said the information provided on the official website of the top court.
It added that this also includes declarations by the CJI. Further, placing the declaration of assets on the Supreme Court website will be on a voluntary basis. The Supreme Court, in a Full Court Meeting held on May 7, 1997, resolved that every Judge should make a declaration of all his assets in the form of real estate or investments (held by him in his own name or in the name of his spouse or any person dependent on him) within a reasonable time of assuming office.
“The declaration so made should be to the Chief Justice of the Court. The Chief Justice should make a similar declaration for the purpose of the record. The declaration made by the Judges or the Chief Justice, as the case may be, shall be confidential,” it said. Later in August 2009, the Full Bench decided to disclose the statement of assets submitted by the Judges to public by putting it on Supreme Court website “purely on voluntary basis”.
IANS