- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: After a bizarre incident on March 14, when a fire broke out in the official residence of HC judge, Justice Yashwant Varma in Delhi, revealing partially burnt currency notes in the debris. This startling discovery led to public outrage and renewed calls for reforms.
The Supreme Court has responded by setting a precedent: all 33 Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, have agreed to publicly declare their assets. In a concerning development, only 12% of HC judges across India have disclosed their assets, sparking a fresh debate on judicial transparency. With 769 judges serving in 25 High Courts, only 95 have made their financial details public, raising questions about accountability in the judiciary.
High Courts are showing mixed responses. Kerala leads by example with 41 out of 44 judges declaring their assets, and Himachal Pradesh follows closely with 11 out of 12 judges on record. However, other regions show a worrying lack of transparency.
In Chhattisgarh, only 1 out of 16 judges have declared their assets, while in the Madras High Court, only 5 out of 65 judges have made such disclosures. The situation is equally disappointing in Delhi, where only 7 out of 38 judges have disclosed their financial information, a stark decline from 2018 when 29 out of 35 judges in Delhi made such declarations.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee had raised concerns in August 2023, urging for mandatory annual disclosures for judges, citing the requirement fro MPs, MLAs, and other public servants to declare their assets. The committee recommended legislation to enforce this practice, noting that civil servants, ministers and the Auditor General already publish their wealth statements.
As the Supreme Court sets a positive example, the focus now shifts to the High Courts. Will this be the beginning of true judicial reform, or will it be the beginning of true judicial reform, or will it be yet another headline that fades away? with public trust in the judiciary at stake, the need for transparency has never been more urgent. As the Supreme Court opens its books, the question remains: will rest of the judiciary follow suit?
