TI-India’s appeal to judiciary to declare assets

Transparency International India (TII) has expressed its disappointment at Supreme Court’s decision to challenge the Chief Information Officer (CIC)’s order on the declaration of judges’ assets.On the 19th of January, Delhi High Court had responded to the registrar’s appeal and stayed the order of CIC.

TII Chair, Admiral (Retd) R H Tahiliani said this morning, “ we earnestly appeal to all the judges to suo moto voluntarily make such declaration in the interest of transparency, which will add to their credibility as upright judges”. He said in order to promote transparent and accountable governance in India, it was important that the judiciary led the way.

The issue of declaration of judges assets was first mooted in 1997 when the Supreme Court passed an informal resolution that required judges to declare their assets, in private, to the Chief Justice. In November 2007, an RTI application was filed in the Supreme Court requesting a copy of the resolution as well as any detail on judges who had furnished such information.

Responding to this application and Information commission’s order, the Supreme Court contended that the informal resolution was not mandatory under the law and hence the Chief Justice of India could not be ordered to declare it. They have filed a petition to this effect in the Delhi High Court.