Landmark transparency push: 21 Supreme Court judges voluntarily disclosed assets

In a late-night move marked by a gesture of transparency, the Supreme Court released the asset declarations of 21 out of its 33 sitting judges. The disclosures come just days before Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is set to retire on May 13.

The move comes in the wake of a resolution signed by all Supreme Court judges on April 1, calling for the declaration of their assets. As with previous resolutions, it required judges to disclose their assets to the Chief Justice of India, while leaving public disclosure entirely voluntary.

Similar resolutions were adopted in 1997 and 2009, but they had limited impact, with most judges opting not to make their assets public. However, the latest initiative, driven by Chief Justice Khanna’s push for greater transparency, sets a significant precedent for future judges to follow.

Of the 33 sitting Supreme Court judges, 21 have publicly disclosed their assets, including the five senior-most judges among them Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Chief Justice-designate Justice B.R. Gavai.

CJI Khanna reported ownership of two properties, one in Commonwealth Village and another in Gurugram, along with investments exceeding Rs 3.38 crore. Notably, he also listed a 2015 Maruti Swift among his assets.

Justice Gavai, who is set to assume the role of Chief Justice next week, disclosed six properties, two of which were inherited. His total investments and cash holdings amount to over Rs 1.15 crore.

Justice K.V. Vishwanathan stands out as the wealthiest among the judges. Before his elevation to the bench in 2023, he had a highly successful career as a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court. He declared investments worth over Rs 120 crore, in addition to four properties, and revealed he has paid more than Rs 91 crore in taxes over the past 15 years.

Justice A.S. Oka who is set to retire on May 24, has disclosed assets including Rs 92.35 lakh in a Public Provident Fund, Rs 21.76 lakh in fixed deposits, and ownership of a 2022 Maruti Baleno. He also declared a car loan of Rs 5.1 lakh. His immovable assets comprise two residential flats in Maharashtra and agricultural land in Thane.

Justice Vikram Nath declared ownership of a 2-BHK apartment in Noida, a bungalow in Allahabad, and inherited agricultural land in Uttar Pradesh. He has investments totalling Rs 1.5 crore but no movable assets or loans in his name. However, his family holds 1kg of gold, 1,500 grams of silver, and a 2016 Volkswagen Polo registered in their names.

The assets disclosure by Supreme Court Judges was largely driven by a controversy involving Justice Yashwant Varma, a former judge of the Delhi High Court. In March 2025, a fire at his residence allegedly revealed charred currency notes, sparking serious concerns over judicial integrity. His subsequent transfer to the Allahabad High Court further fuelled public demand for greater transparency.

In addition to this incident, a 2023 recommendation by a Parliamentary Committee advocating for mandatory asset declarations played a significant role in prompting the move.

Out of India’s 25 High Courts, only seven—Delhi, Punjab & Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madras, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, and Karnataka—have judges who publicly disclose their assets. Kerala stands out, with 41 of its 44 judges making their assets public. In contrast, 18 High Courts have no public asset disclosures from their judges.

India