Supreme Court of India Publicly Discloses Judges' Assets and Appointment Process
For the first time, the Supreme Court of India has published the asset declarations of its judges and made the judicial appointment process transparent. This decision was taken by the full court on April 1, 2025, following a cash scandal involving Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Verma. On May 5, 2025, the court released a statement saying the move was aimed at enhancing transparency in the judiciary and reinforcing public trust.
Details on Asset Disclosures
The Supreme Court has uploaded asset declarations of 21 out of 33 judges on its official website. The remaining judges have submitted their details internally, which are yet to be published.
Background of the Decision
This landmark step follows the controversy surrounding Justice Yashwant Verma, whose official residence caught fire on March 14. During firefighting operations, partially burned currency notes were discovered, prompting calls for greater accountability in the judiciary.
Judicial Appointments Also Made Transparent
Alongside asset disclosures, the Supreme Court has also uploaded the full process of judicial appointments to High Courts and the Supreme Court. This includes the role of the Supreme Court Collegium, inputs from state governments and the Union of India, and collegium deliberations.
Appointments Between Nov 2022 and May 2025
The website now contains data on all proposals made by the collegium from November 9, 2022, to May 5, 2025, for appointments to High Courts. Information includes:
- Judge’s name and High Court
- Source (judicial service or bar)
- Date of collegium recommendation
- Notification and appointment dates
- Special category if applicable (SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Women)
- Any familial link with existing or retired High Court/Supreme Court judges
Statistical Highlights
During this period, the collegium considered 303 names and recommended 170 for appointment. Among the 170 recommended:
- 7 are from Scheduled Castes (SC)
- 5 from Scheduled Tribes (ST)
- 21 from Other Backward Classes (OBC)
- 7 from Extremely Backward Classes
- 28 are women
- 23 are from minority communities
Appointments Involving Relatives of Judges
Among the recommended names, 12 individuals were found to be related to sitting or retired judges. Out of these, 11 have already been appointed:
- 3 in Rajasthan High Court
- 2 each in Allahabad and Chhattisgarh
- 1 each in Bombay, Patna, Gujarat, and Delhi High Courts
Relationships include: 6 sons of judges, 3 sons-in-law or brothers-in-law, and 1 each related as a brother or father-in-law to sitting or former judges.