In a landmark decision promoting transparency, all judges of the Supreme Court have unanimously agreed to make their asset declarations public. This decision was reached during a full-court meeting on April 1.
The move comes in the wake of recent controversies, including the discovery of a significant amount of cash at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, during his tenure at the Delhi High Court. This incident has raised questions about the financial transparency of members of the judiciary.
As per the resolution passed, all judges will submit their asset declarations to the Chief Justice of India, who will oversee their publication on the Supreme Court’s official website. The exact details on how the asset declarations will be made public are yet to be finalized, but the commitment to transparency has been made clear.
Historically, while Supreme Court judges have declared their assets to the Chief Justice, these declarations were not accessible to the public. This new step is seen as a significant measure to strengthen public trust and confidence in the judicial system.
