SC dismisses PIL seeking declaration of assets by judges
New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed a PIL seeking directions that all judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts should declare their assets and also a declaration from the apex court that the judges are also covered by the provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and P Sathasivam dismissed the petition filed by Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) seeking directions on the grounds that since the judges were also public servants, they should declare their assets and could not escape from the provisions of the RTI Act.
Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan has been constantly opposing the demand to declare the assets of the judges to public.
Mr Balakrishnan, however, admitted that the judges were public servant but they could not be subjected to RTI Act.
There had been all-round demand both from political parties as well as from the lawyer fraternity that the judges should also declare their assets as it would be a step in the right direction to check corruption in judiciary.
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