Judges - Accountable?

By Vijay Kumar

THE Union Cabinet yesterday approved the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010.

The Bill provides a mechanism for enquiring into complaints against the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts; lays down judicial standards and requires the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to declare their assets and liabilities.

At present there is no legal provision for dealing with complaints filed by the public against the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Also, the judiciary has adopted resolutions for declaration of assets by Judges and “Restatement of values of Judicial Life'. However, there is no law that requires the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts to declare their assets and liabilities and also there is no statutory sanction for judicial standards.