New Delhi, August 23
Seeking to dispel the impression that he was against disclosure of assets by judges, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan today said the members of higher judiciary are free to do so and attacked Karnataka High Court Judge D V Shylendra Kumar as being "publicity-crazy".
He also said he had the right to speak on behalf of all judges as head of the judiciary and this was the practice in judicial systems in other countries too.
"The public has a right to know what is happening in the judiciary and I am telling and I stand by what I have said on disclosure of assets by judges," said Balakrishnan.
He said, "If the judges want to declare their assets, no one can prevent (them). How can I prevent. If the law comes, everybody will have to declare."
The CJI said Justice Kumar, who had said that the CJI had no authority to speak on behalf of other judges, wants publicity and that is why he has written on the issue, which is not good for a judge.
"He wants publicity and such a thing is not good for a judge. Judges should not be publicity-crazy," he added.
Balakrishnan said in the absence of law to make public the disclosure of assets of judges, there is no agreement among them in this regard and a consensus has to be developed. — PTI
