New Delhi, May 6: In a landmark step towards strengthening institutional transparency and public accountability, the Supreme Court of India has released detailed statements of assets of its sitting judges on its official website. This move follows a full-court resolution passed on April 1, 2025, to proactively place judges’ asset disclosures in the public domain.
As part of this initiative, the apex court published the financial and property details of 21 out of its 33 judges, including the outgoing Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who is set to retire on May 13, and the incoming Chief Justice, Justice B R Gavai, who will assume office on May 14.
According to the disclosures, CJI Sanjiv Khanna has fixed deposits worth Rs 55.75 lakh, a three-bedroom DDA flat in South Delhi, and a four-bedroom apartment measuring 2,446 square feet in the Commonwealth Games Village. He also holds a 56% ownership share in a four-bedroom apartment in Sispal Vihar, Sector 49, Gurugram, spanning 2,016 sq. ft., and a stake in ancestral property and land located in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh.
Among other declared assets, Justice Khanna has a Public Provident Fund (PPF) investment exceeding Rs 1.06 crore, a General Provident Fund (GPF) corpus of Rs 1.77 crore, shares worth Rs 14,000, and an LIC Money Back Policy with an annual premium of Rs 29,625. His movable assets include 250 grams of gold and 2 kg of silver—primarily inherited or gifted—as well as a 2015 model Maruti Swift.
Justice B R Gavai, the CJI-designate, has declared over Rs 19.63 lakh in bank deposits. He owns multiple immovable properties, including an inherited house in Amravati, Maharashtra, flats in Bandra (Mumbai) and Defence Colony (Delhi), along with agricultural lands in Amravati and Nagpur. His movable assets include gold jewellery worth Rs 5.25 lakh, while his spouse possesses jewellery valued at Rs 29.70 lakh and holds a cash deposit of Rs 61,320.
The disclosure initiative has also brought to light the assets of several other judges, some of whom are slated to assume the highest judicial office in the coming years:
Justice Surya Kant, due to become the Chief Justice of India in November 2025, owns a house in Sector 10, Chandigarh; 13 acres of agricultural land in Panchkula; and a 300 square yard plot in Gurugram. He has fixed deposits amounting to Rs 4.11 crore, 100 grams of gold ornaments, and three luxury watches.
Justice Abhay S. Oka, set to retire on May 24, has declared ownership of a residential flat and a share in agricultural land in Thane, Maharashtra. His financial portfolio includes a fixed deposit worth Rs 21.76 lakh and bank savings of Rs 9.10 lakh.
Justice Vikram Nath owns a two-bedroom flat in Noida, a bungalow in Civil Lines, Prayagraj, and 20 bighas of agricultural land in Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh. He has investments valued at Rs 1.5 crore.
Justice K. V. Viswanathan, a former senior advocate who joined the bench directly from the Bar in May 2023, has declared the most substantial assets among his peers. His financial disclosures list investments exceeding Rs 120 crore and properties in Delhi’s upscale Safdarjung Development Area and Gulmohar Park, along with an apartment in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. His income tax returns from 2010–11 to 2024–25 report an income of over Rs 91.47 crore.
The Supreme Court has also gone a step further by making public the detailed process of judicial appointments to the High Courts and the apex court. This includes data from November 9, 2022, to May 5, 2025, listing the names of recommended candidates, their source (from judicial services or the Bar), date of recommendation by the Collegium, date of notification, final appointment date, and category classification (SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Woman), along with disclosures on any familial ties with sitting or retired judges.
According to the court’s official release, “Statements of assets of judges already received are being uploaded. Statements of assets of other judges will be uploaded as and when the current statement of assets is received.” The release emphasized that the decision reflects the Supreme Court’s commitment to transparency, ethics, and public trust in the judiciary.
This historic transparency drive marks a significant step in reinforcing the integrity of the judiciary and fostering confidence among citizens regarding the personal accountability of those who preside over the highest courts of justice in the country.