New Delhi, February 4
Holding that there is no limit to judicial review, Supreme Court Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan has ruled out the question of having any compulsory annual declaration of wealth and assets by Judges of the apex court and high courts.
No self-respecting judge will accept the idea of such compulsory declaration or have any committee of lay persons to probe the conduct of the judiciary, Mr Justice Balakrishnan has maintained in an interview, according to a press note.
Welcoming the proposed National Judicial Council, intended for enforcing judicial accountability, the Chief Justice rejected the idea of involving lay persons in the council.
“It is a question of independence of the judiciary. If any other person conducts such an inquiry about any Judge, it will cause serious encroachment into the independence of the judiciary. If anyone else inquires into the allegations against Judges and imposes punishment, I do not think that any self-respecting Judge will like it”, Mr Justice Balakrishnan observed.
To another question whether there should be compulsory annual declaration of wealth and assets by Judges, the CJI remarked, “No self-respecting person will accept it”.
On the power of judicial review, the CJI observed, “There is no limit as such. Any parliamentary legislation can be challenged, but then the grounds for judicial review are limited.”
— PTI
