Supreme Court Uploads Judges' Asset Declarations, Collegium Appointment Data In Push For Transparency
In a significant move to promote transparency, the Supreme Court of India on Monday announced that it has begun uploading statements of assets of its judges on the official website, following a full-court resolution passed on April 1, 2025.
“The full court of the Supreme Court of India has on April 1, 2025, decided that the statements of assets of the judges of this court shall be placed in the public domain by uploading the same on the website of this court,” read an official release issued by the Apex Court.
The Court clarified that statements already submitted by judges are being uploaded, and those of other judges will be made available as and when received. "Statements of assets of Judges already received are being uploaded. Statement of assets of other Judges will be uploaded as and when the current statement of assets is received," the press release reads.
In another first-of-its-kind measure, the Apex Court has also uploaded the complete process related to judicial appointments to the High Courts and the Supreme Court. This includes the role played by the High Court Collegium, State governments, the Union Government, and the Supreme Court Collegium itself, aimed at fostering greater public awareness and understanding.
"The Supreme Court of India has placed the complete process of appointments to the High Courts and Supreme Court including the role assigned to the High Court Collegium, the role and inputs received from the State Governments, Government of India, and consideration by the Supreme Court Collegium, on its website for knowledge and awareness of the public," it reads.
Further, the Court has made public detailed data regarding appointments approved by the Supreme Court Collegium between November 9, 2022, and May 5, 2025.
The uploaded information includes the name of the appointee, the High Court to which they were appointed, their source (Bar or judicial service), dates of recommendation and appointment, and whether the appointee belongs to any special category such as SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Woman. It also discloses whether the appointee is related to any sitting or retired judge of the High Courts or the Supreme Court.
"The proposals approved by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointments as High Court Judges during the period 9th November 2022 to 5th May 2025, including the names, High Court, source – whether from Service or Bar, date of recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium, date of notification by Department of Justice, date of appointment, special category (SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Woman), and whether the candidate is related to any sitting or retired High Court/Supreme Court Judge, have also been uploaded on the Supreme Court website," the press release states.