In a move towards transparency and accountability, the Judges of the Supreme Court of India in 2009 began making their assets and liabilities public on the court’s website. However of the current 29 Supreme Court Judges four of them have not yet made their assets public which include Justices RF Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, Uday Umesh Lalit and Amitava Roy in addition to the recently appointed four other Judges.
On 2nd September 2009 the Judges of the Bombay High Court had decided through a unanimous resolution of the full court to make their assets public. But despite almost seven long years having elapsed the veil of secrecy over the assets and liabilities of Judges continues with the High Court defaulting in complying with its own resolution.
As is required to be done by all other public servants, the assets and liabilities of all Judges and their kin should be displayed annually for public analysis and scrutiny. Time for Judges to act transparently. It would then facilitate to identify and cleanse the Temples of Justice from the rotten apples plaguing it. Judges surely would not forgive those who default or fail in being clean and upright. Should they not lead by example?
