The best news for all times: CJI’s office under purview of RTI

By O.J.George

Now no one can rue the Indian judiciary as an oligarchy, for the Delhi High Court has risen to the occasion and decided that the office of the Chief Justice of India comes under the purview of the Right to Information Act.

At one shot, one may not comprehend the implications of the decision of the High Court. The Chief Justice of India is a repository of prime information regarding appointment of judges, their assets, complaints and proceedings against judges and a whole lot of other sensitive pieces of information.

No doubt, the Supreme Court may not take it kindly and may go in for appeal against the verdict of the Delhi High Court. It is easy enough for the apex court to ask the registrar of the Supreme Court to file an appeal in its own court.

Let us see how the Supreme Court dispenses justice in this matter.

All the same, the terse argument put up by the apex court earlier that disclosure of information is not workable does not hold good any more.

The Delhi High Court has pointed out that the higher the authority, the greater is the accountability and responsibility that is bestowed on it.

Former Chief Justice of India SC Verma has said there is nothing for a judge to hide.

The one piece of legislation that has empowered the common, unrecognized citizen of the country is the Right to Information Act.

The heaven is not going to fall down, if the details of assets, the qualifications and antecedents of the judges under appointment etc are divulged to those who want to know them.

India is becoming a functional democracy by offering these pieces of information and everyone being made accountable to “ We, the people of India” who had framed the Constitution.