CJI, Supreme Court judges declare wealth, finally

Right-to-Information-ActChief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan owns two homes in Kerala and drives a 2000 model Santro.

These details of his wealth and those of 21 of his colleagues in the Supreme Court (SC) were put up “voluntarily” on the court website on Monday. The revelation came after 12 years of resistance to the 1997 resolution — that all judges declare their assets — passed in a full court meeting, mounting public criticism and the decision of some high court judges to declare their assets in August.

Subsequently, the SC had on August 26 announced its decision to do the same.

Only one more SC judge, H S Bedi, is yet to reveal his assets.

But while the details may be out, it is unclear if further questions on judges’ wealth will be entertained as the Supreme Court is opposed to bringing the CJI’s office under the Right to Information Act.

The Central Information Commission had passed an order asking the SC to divulge information on whether its judges were declaring their assets, a ruling the court had refused to accept. On September 2, the Delhi High Court had upheld the commission’s order.