A boost to transparency or premature? Ex-judges split

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna's decision to publicly disclose evidence related to the cash pile found at the official residence home of sitting Delhi high court judge, justice Yashwant Varma, has led to a divide among former Supreme Court judges.

- Abraham Thomas

NEW DELHI:

While some judges view the move as a much-needed step towards transparency, others deem it as premature.

Several former judges argued the disclosure of unverified material gathered by government agencies—before a three-member in-house inquiry panel had the chance to independently assess it—raised concerns about procedural fairness. Others contended that making the information public helped counter speculation and reassure citizens about the judiciary's commitment to transparency and accountability.

Justice Ajay Rastogi, who retired from the Supreme Court in 2023, voiced caution regarding the timing of the disclosure. "Transparency has to be maintained in every walk of life, but the stage at which it is introduced is crucial. Let the inquiry committee reach a conclusion first; that conclusion can then be made public," he said.