EX-CJ CALLS FOR COLLEGIUM OVERHAUL

'The Collegium system has failed, and it needs to be changed,' Justice (Retd) Yatindra Singh said.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The recent decision by the Supreme Court of India to publicly disclose the assets of its judges has been met with a sense of vindication by Justice (Retd.) Yatindra Singh, former Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court and a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court. Singh, who retired as Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, is credited with being the first to ensure that every public dealing of judges — including their assets — was put out in the public domain, despite facing stiff resistance from within the system.

Sharing his thoughts on LinkedIn this past Friday, Justice Singh hailed the Supreme Court's full court resolution as a "welcome sign." He recalled his early advocacy for this principle during his tenure at the Allahabad High Court in 2009-10.

"This question was debated in the full court of the Allahabad High Court in 2009-10, and I was the lone voice advocating public declaration of assets," he stated. However, despite his efforts, the prevailing sentiment at the time was against public disclosure, and the court ultimately resolved to submit asset lists only to the Chief Justice. This did not deter Justice Singh's commitment to transparency.

Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, Justice Singh said that the process of judicial appointments also needs reform.