In a historic move aimed at enhancing judicial transparency and accountability, all 30 judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, have resolved to declare their assets publicly. This decision was taken during a full court meeting on April 1 and marks a significant step in restoring public trust in the judiciary, especially in light of recent controversies surrounding the financial integrity of judicial officers.
The Supreme Court’s website has now started publishing the asset declarations of judges, with the list including Justices Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S. Oka, Vikram Nath, B.V. Nagarathna, and Dipankar Datta, among others. The declaration process, which had been discontinued since 2018 citing privacy concerns, has now been revived in response to growing concerns over judicial probity.
Move Comes Amid Allegations of Unaccounted Cash at Justice Yashwant Varma’s Residence
This decision follows the controversy surrounding Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, whose residence was allegedly found to contain large amounts of unaccounted cash after a fire broke out on March 14. The moment this news broke and caused public uproar, the CJI and the Supreme Court Collegium reportedly transferred Justice Varma back to the Allahabad High Court. however, members of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association protested and said that tey did not want the judge back; they said, “We are not a trash bin.” The incident raised serious questions about financial transparency and ethical conduct within the judiciary.
An in-house judicial inquiry is currently probing the matter. While no official statement has been released regarding the source of the cash, the development has intensified calls for greater financial scrutiny of judges. The Supreme Court’s decision to disclose assets publicly is seen as a direct response to this controversy, reinforcing its commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity.
Reviving a 1997 Resolution on Judicial Transparency
The decision to make judges’ assets public is not entirely new. It dates back to 1997, when a full court meeting of the Supreme Court, under then-CJI Justice J.S. Verma, resolved that every judge should declare their assets, including real estate and investments, to the Chief Justice of India.
In 2009, the Supreme Court extended this resolution, allowing judges to disclose their assets on its website voluntarily. However, in 2018, citing privacy concerns, this practice was discontinued. The latest resolution effectively revives this initiative, making it mandatory for judges to file their asset declarations with the Chief Justice and publish them online.
A key turning point came in 2019 when the Supreme Court ruled that judges’ assets and liabilities do not constitute personal information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. This judgment paved the way for greater financial transparency within the judiciary, although the practice of public disclosure remained inconsistent until now.
List of Judges Who Have Declared Their Assets
The Supreme Court’s website has now made public the asset declarations of 30 judges, including:
Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
Justice Surya Kant
Justice Abhay S. Oka
Justice Vikram Nath
Justice J.K. Maheshwari
Justice B.V. Nagarathna
Justice M.M. Sundresh
Justice Bela M. Trivedi
Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha
Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia
Justice Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala
Justice Dipankar Datta
Justice Pankaj Mithal
Justice Sanjay Karol
Justice Sanjay Kumar
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah
Justice Manoj Misra
Justice Rajesh Bindal
Justice Aravind Kumar
Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra
Justice K.V. Viswanathan
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Justice S. Venkatanarayana Bhatti
Justice Satish Chandra Sharma
Justice Augustine George Masih
Justice Sandeep Mehta
Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale
Justice R. Mahadevan
Justice Manmohan
A Step Towards Restoring Public Confidence in the Judiciary
The Supreme Court’s decision to voluntarily disclose assets is seen as a proactive measure to counter growing concerns about judicial corruption and ensure greater transparency. Making asset declarations public will help rebuild faith in the judiciary, which has recently been under increased scrutiny.
Legal analysts point out that while the judiciary has often resisted external accountability mechanisms, such as RTI applications, this self-imposed disclosure sets an important precedent. The move aligns with international best practices, as many countries require judges to publicly disclose their financial interests to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality in judicial proceedings.
While the Supreme Court has already begun publishing asset declarations, a formal resolution outlining the guidelines for this process is expected to be made public soon. Legal scholars and activists have called for regular updates to asset declarations and stringent penalties for non-compliance.
With the controversy surrounding Justice Yashwant Varma still under investigation, this move by the Supreme Court is seen as a much-needed reform to maintain judicial integrity. The coming months will determine whether this step begins a more extensive reform process within the Indian judiciary or remains an isolated measure triggered by recent events.
