Supreme Court judges to disclose assets amid calls for transparency

New Delhi, Apr 3: In a move aimed at enhancing judicial transparency, all 33 sitting judges of the Supreme Court of India have agreed to disclose their assets publicly. The decision, taken during a full court meeting on April 1, will see judges’ asset details published on the top court’s official website. This resolution will also extend to future judges, according to a report by Bar & Bench.

The decision comes in the wake of growing concerns over opacity in the judiciary, particularly following recent allegations of financial misconduct.

The controversy gained momentum after a large sum of cash was reportedly discovered at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court. Previously, the publication of judges’ assets was a discretionary practice, left to individual judges’ preferences. The move marks a significant shift in judicial accountability. The Supreme Court first agreed to voluntary asset disclosure in 2009, following sustained public and internal pressure. On August 26 of that year, it resolved to make judges’ asset details available online, though the decision did not carry a mandatory requirement.