New Delhi, September 01: The Delhi High Court is likely to pronounce its judgement tomorrow on the plea by the Supreme Court challenging Central Information Commissioner’s order which held that CJI’s office comes within the ambit of Right to Information Act and directed it to reveal information on judges’ assets.
The verdict would assume significance as the apex court has consistently maintained that CJI’S office does not come within the purview of RTI Act but under pressure from outside and within the judiciary, its judges have have agreed to make public their assets.
After extensive arguments on the issue, Justice S Ravindra Bhatt had reserved the order on May 4.
The apex court had approached the High Court challenging the January 6 order of CIC directing the apex court to reveal information pertaining to judges’ assets under RTI Act.
The High Court had on January 19 stayed the order of the CIC in which the Commission had held that the office of Chief Justice of India comes within the ambit of the RTI Act and information given to CJI has to be revealed to the RTI applicant.
The apex court had contended that its judges were not averse to declaring their assets and Parliament should frame a law for it as there was no law which makes it mandatory for members of the judiciary to declare their assets.
—Agencies