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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Karnataka judge declares assets online - News

Karnataka judge declares assets online - Indian Express


A judge of the Karnataka High Court, who has favoured public declaration of assets by willing judges, under the Right to Information Act, has put details of his assets and liabilities in the public domain — on a personal website. (http://sites.google.com/site/justdvskumar/asset-particulars)
Justice D V Shylendra Kumar has put up the details of his assets alongside his article, Judges and the Right to Information Act, which contradicted the Chief Justice of India’s observation that judges in general are opposed to being under the purview of RTI.
Following up on the article in The Indian Express last week, Justice Shylendra Kumar had on Monday placed a declaration of his assets before the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court with instructions to make it available to the public. The Registrar General had on Tuesday said a decision on putting the asset declaration of the judge will have to be taken at a meeting of all the judges of the High Court. On Wednesday afternoon, Justice Shylendra Kumar, who has said that he has been searching for an avenue to declare his assets, put up the details on a personal website http://sites.google.com/site/justdvskumar/asset-particulars. “Particulars of assets of Justice D V Shylendra Kumar, Judge, High Court of Karnataka is being displayed here as the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court has prevented the information from being displayed on the High Court website,” states the introduction to the web document.

As per details put in the public domain by Justice Shylendra Kumar, the sum of the value of properties acquired, bank balances held and investments is Rs 42.86 lakh. A footnote in the declaration says the information “furnished may not be accurate to the pie or to the decimal, but is sufficient to serve the purpose for which it is furnished”. A credit of $15,000 from Justice Shylendra Kumar’s brother to his bank account in July 2008 and a Rs 98,750 worth purchase of shares of a company last year are among the assets declared. He has a 1996 Maruti Zen car. He is the first sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court to put the details of his assets in the public domain.
Times of India - He is the second judge after Justice K Kannan of the Punjab & Haryana High Court to disclose his assets. The latter did so to advocate Prashant Bhushan, convener of a campaign for judicial accountability and reforms.
More on Rediff.com



The judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, will make public the statements of assets they declared at the time of their appointment to the Supreme Court and subsequent additions, if any.
This decision was taken on Wednesday at a Full Court meeting, presided over by Justice Balakrishnan. The meeting was a sequel to the CJI’s announcement on Monday that consensus was being evolved on disclosure of assets. Except Justice J.M. Panchal, who was on medical leave, all judges participated in the nearly two-hour deliberations. The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court is 31 including the CJI. There are eight vacancies at present.
“We have decided in principle to put our assets on the [Supreme Court] website, but regarding the modalities, in what manner or form, we have not yet decided,” authoritative sources told The Hindu. Asked whether there was consensus on making public the assets, the sources said: “Whatever decision we take is only through consensus and we have passed a unanimous resolution. The resolution is to be released after it is signed by all the judges.”
Asked to elaborate, the sources said: “At present, judges disclose their assets to the Chief Justice of India as per the procedure in the 1997 ‘Restatement of values.’ Now it will be put on the website.”
Would such disclosure pertain only to the judge concerned or would it cover members of his family too? “It will be strictly in accordance with the 1997 procedure. Of course, each judge has a different form and we have to see how it can be updated.”
To a question whether Wednesday’s resolution covered High Court judges also, the sources said: “We can’t give any direction to the High Courts. They will have to take independent decisions. However, it is expected that they will follow us.”
The issue of public disclosure of assets by judges came to the fore after Justice D.V. Shylendra Kumar of the Karnataka High Court and Justice K. Kannan of the Punjab and Haryana High Court voluntarily disclosed their assets and made them public.
The Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reform has been highlighting the need for transparency and public disclosure of assets by judges, and the Full Court decision is an exercise in that direction.
At present, there is no law governing the declaration of assets by judges. In the recently concluded Parliament session, the government introduced a Bill to make declaration of assets by judges mandatory. But since it contained a clause that such a declaration would not come within the ambit of the Right to Information Act, the Bill was withdrawn. The government has announced that it will be re-introduced in the winter session with amendments.



1 comment:

मुकेश शर्मा said...

It is very surprising that judges are reluctant to declare their assets through a public domain.Why these people are not understand that this is leading them under the clouds of supicion.As we all know that judiciary is the last resort for a common man in this so called democracy.People have more faith in judiciary then our political system.
But at the same time rampant charges of corruption on judges of higher judiciary is leading to unpleasent situations for them.
One more thing which is more serious then declaring assets of judges is The RELATIVES of sitting judges are practicing in the same courts is to be looked into.As we all know that everyone has the right to choose the legtimate business or profession,but in this matter the story is diffrent.Today litigants are trying to find the Advocate who is either relative of judge or a junior of concern judge.This is a regular practice in courts now in days.IS there any BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA working in india?
Now coming to advocates Why bar council is not looking in to the matter of their members.Advocates are more resposible then judges for tarnishing the image of judiciary.Just to winning the bar association elections candidates are doing everything form organizing the party to woo the voters or supporting their misbehaviour openly.Recently on november 12,2009 two press pthotographer were badly beatenup by the mob of advocates at the premises of District n session courts at JAIPUR.THE members of the prestigious profession looted their cameras as a mark of their victory.Before this two police constables were also beatenup by the Advocates.FIR were lodged from all side against each other our Brave n efficient police is still looking for culprits ? IS anyone listeing ? Why Bar council of Rajasthan is not doing anything against their errant members? THe answer is very obivious bcoz they don't want loose their voters.The group of this hallabol brigade can harm their chances of winning.Not only this in the elections of Rajasthan highcour bar association charges for giving money was levelled against each other is a past story now. This time candidates have evolved a new idea by depositing the dues of membership fee to the tune of lacs of rupees.Is their any one who can teach them a lesson to behave like an ADVOCATE ?